Remaking Destiny | By : LadyLaran Category: Harry Potter AU/AR > General Views: 23080 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 6 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or make money from this story. |
Author’s Note - It’s astounding how many hits and reviews I received for this story. I hadn’t expected such an amazing response to this, and it makes me smile every time I receive notification that the story made another reader intrigued enough to follow or favorite. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed, or put this story as a favorite.
As far as pairings go, I have had requests for no slash and the like. I’m uncertain if there will be romance in this and if so, what the pairings will be. If it happens, I think it’ll go with the adults in the story as teenagers falling in love rarely make it. There’s been maybe one couple in my experience who stayed together until death parted them – my grandparents. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but I just feel there’s other things in the tale that need to be focused on first. If Harry finds someone, it may be in the epilogue. I hope my readers don’t mind this. I could change my mind between now and the end of the tale. We’ll see. Let me know your thoughts on this, please!Regarding Harry’s name, I don’t see it being the name of a family that has a history in nobility. So I gave him a different first name where Harry can be used as a nickname. The name is Irish, meaning deep red or dark red. I see it as a tribute to his mother.Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter or even make money from this little story of mine. I wish I did own it because I’d have fixed a few things. Chapter Two - And So It BeginsThe Dowager Countess of Glastonbury slipped through the large doors that guarded the entryway of her home. Her cloak was taken by the head house elf, and Callidora acknowledged the bow with a gentle nod as the witch headed towards the parlor.“Mimsy,” she called, focused on taking care of her ward’s needs. There was one house elf in her staff that would provide exactly what was required.Within seconds, a female house elf clad in a maid’s uniform with the Longbottom crest appeared in front of her mistress.“Mistress summoned Mimsy?”“Yes, I need the nursery reopened and cleaned. Get as many elves as you need to get it done properly and swiftly. You have a new charge to look after,” the witch told the other, hiding a smile at the wide eyed look of glee.“Mimsy has a baby to watch over?”“Yes, you do but I am going to hold the elves to silence in regards to our new addition to the household,” she told the nursery elf. “The baby is Lord Harkin Potter, my cousin and the son of Lord James Potter.”The house elf straightened up, realizing why the Longbottom elves needed to remain silent in regards to the presence of the child. Too many people would be looking for the boy.“The house elves of the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom will remain silent about who they are watching over, Mistress. We will ensure his safety, happiness, and wellbeing.”“I know you will, Mimsy, and I trust the rest of the elves to do so as well. Now, get the nursery taken care of as quickly as you can. I imagine Harkin will be hungry and in need of a change soon.”The elf brightened and nodded, happy to have someone to watch over. Nursery elves were very often lonely once their charges grew up and no longer needed them.“Of course, Mistress. Mimsy will see to it immediately and take care of the Little Lord. Would Mistress like some tea?”Callidora settled in a chair, relaxing for a moment as she contemplated the question. “I would like a cup of jasmine tea,” she instructed the elf, looking at the clock on the mantle. “Perhaps some toast as well. I left early and well before breakfast.”“It will be done, Mistress,” Mimsy told her, bowing before disappearing to take care of what was needed before going to handle her charge.Callidora got maybe half an hour of solitude once little Harkin was taken to be cleaned up and fed before the floo chimed at her. She sighed, getting to her feet and moving towards the fireplace. Her eyes widened when she spotted who it was.“Augusta?”“Mother, thank Merlin. I was afraid I wouldn’t catch you,” came the voice of Augusta Longbottom.Knowing her daughter-in-law as she did, the older Longbottom dowager frowned and quickly questioned the woman.“What happened?”The tone of the woman answering told Callidora that she was frazzled, terrified, and angry. A combination that was unusual for Augusta as her daughter-in-law tended to be very reserved and didn’t show emotions typically.“The Lestrange brothers as well as Bellatrix Lestrange broke into the house and tortured Frank and Alice early this morning,” she told the older witch. “I got a call from St. Mungo’s stating that they’d been admitted as well as Neville.”Grief and rage shook her for a moment before worry for her grandchildren took precedence. Her voice was soft and calm, knowing her daughter-in-law would need her strength to get through this trial.
“Any status reports on them?”“Nothing yet, Mother,” she answered, sounding concerned and rather upset.“Right, give me a few moments and I’ll floo in. Be waiting for me,” Callidora told her, then backed away from the fireplace. After a few orders were given to her staff, she stepped through the floo and emerged into the waiting area of the hospital.Augusta had been waiting near an entryway, watching everything with a tight expression that revealed very little. Only the older witch knew that her daughter-in-law was at the edge of control.As she approached the younger witch, a healer called out the family name and both women went to see what the man had to say.“My ladies,” he greeted. “Please follow me. We need to speak about your family and what needs to be done.”Callidora braced herself, having a feeling the news was not good in regards to her grandchildren. One look at Augusta’s face told her that the younger woman was also steeling herself against bad news.The healer led the women to a small office, offering them a seat before taking one himself. The man looked at the two witches, knowing the bulk of the news he had for them was not good. He hated this part of his job honestly.“First, young Neville seems to be all right,” he told them. “He was hit with the Cruciatus Curse and, as near as we can determine, it was only once and not for a lengthy duration of time.”“That curse has never been used on a child of his age that we know of,” Callidora told him. “Are there potential side effects?”“Unknown,” the healer said. “Given his youth, the nerves that might have been damaged could heal in time as he grows. You’ll just have to observe him and get help if any signs do pop up.”The Longbottom matriarch and her daughter-in-law nodded, knowing that Neville would be watched over carefully. At the nod, the healer continued.“As far as Franklin and Alice, I’m afraid that I don’t have good news. They were held under multiple, prolonged Cruciatus curses and the damage is considerable. We’re going to do all we can for them, but they will need to be admitted into the Janus Thickey ward for long term care,” he told them.Both the Dowager Countess and current Countess of Glastonbury paled at the news, hiding the devastation at the thought of the couple never being able to recover from the damage caused by the Unforgivable Curse that had been used on them. “You will see to it that they are given the best of care,” Callidora asked, keeping her voice steady through years of training.“Of course,” he answered, bowing his head. “We know how important they are to your family as well as to the magical community.”“When will my great grandson be discharged from your care?”“We would like to keep him overnight for observation, just in case,” the man responded. “He will be ready to go home in the morning.”The older witch rose gracefully to her feet, determined to see to her family and see for herself as to how they were doing.“I would like to look in on them and spend some time with Neville,” she told him, not leaving it open for questioning.“My lady, I would ask you to wait until we get your grandchildren stabilized first. You’re welcome to visit with young Neville and as soon as a visit with Franklin and Alice is possible, I’ll let you know.”“Of course,” she told him. “Lead the way please. We’ll see our grandson now.”The two that had been seated rose at her command to see Neville, and the healer led them to a small pediatric area. He ushered them into a small room and left them, closing the door so they could spend time privately with the child.Once they were assured of privacy, Augusta sat down heavily, covering her face for a long moment. She and her son were close, and the news of this attack and its aftermath was one that was weighing her down.“I don’t know what to do.”The admission from her daughter-in-law made the older witch turn, facing the woman she had known since the day Augusta had been betrothed to her son, Beauchamp. “What do you mean, Augusta?”“With my Franklin and his wife in hospital like this, I just don’t know what to do. Neville is so young,” she murmured.Callidora understood the comment, remembering a conversation she’d had with her son not long ago. Beauchamp had been wanting to go and see his sister, Galatea, for some time now and had often spoken of traveling while his vision held out. He had suffered from a potions accident a few years ago and was steadily losing his eyesight as a result. None of the healers had managed to find a cure and given the circumstances, Beauchamp had asked her to handle the Longbottom affairs until he returned from the trip with his wife, which his mother had agreed to.“Neville will come home with me,” she answered with a soft note of understanding in her voice.Augusta looked up, wiping the hidden tears from her eyes. She had not expected the older witch to offer such a thing.“Mother?”The Matriarch drew her wand, casting a sophisticated silencing spell and privacy charm, before turning to face the other woman.“I need your witch’s oath that what I tell you will not be repeated. In time, the whole family will be under the same oath.”Curious, Augusta drew her wand, holding it at the proper position.“I, Augusta Longbottom, Countess of Glastonbury, do swear upon my magic that what I am about to hear will never pass my lips or be communicated in anyway until I am given leave by my mother-in-law. So mote it be.”A flare of light encompassed her, showing that magic had witnessed the oath and sealed it. While the woman put her wand away, Callidora shared the secret that had come to be hers to hold.“I have custody of Lord Harkin Potter,” she told her companion, who stared at her for a long moment before speaking.“James and Lily’s boy?”“The very one,” she answered with a nod, then explained what had happened.“Oh dear Merlin,” Augusta muttered. “I never liked that man and warned Franklin it would be better to move to the family manse instead of where Dumbledore said they’d be safe. I just knew the wards on that house wouldn’t be enough. I’ll be willing to bet my hat that the old codger was hoping something like this would happen in case our Neville is the one in his so-called prophecy and not the Potter child.”“Yes but he underestimated that Neville would have two strong grandmothers behind him, determined to keep him and his cousin safe,” Callidora agreed. “And that will be the old coot’s downfall in the end. I will take Neville in and raise him along with Harkin as brothers. I will count on you, Galatea, and Beauchamp to come by and spend time with them so they know the other members of the family. The few members of the Black family that I trust will also help with their education and giving them a well rounded family experience as well.”“Of course, Mother, we’ll help wherever we can. Are you sure you can handle this alone? I know Algie and Enid would help where they can, but Algie can be a bit eccentric at times.”Callidora laughed, reminded of her daughter-in-law’s family. Algie was incredibly eccentric and would keep the boys entertained when he visited. “True, he is that. If things go well, I will have Sirius close at hand to lend his aid, though it must be done carefully.”“True, the old codger will be watching him if things go in your favor and Sirius is cleared. Especially once the Potter wills are unsealed as well,” Augusta murmured.“I have no doubt he’ll have high suspicions as to where Harkin will be. However, Albus Dumbledore was not invited to the reading so he will have no reason to think that his little pawn will have slipped through his fingers,” she answered. “Even with the wills unread, he would not be able to control the Potter seat in the Wizengamot since he is not the assigned magical guardian. He won’t like that much,” she said with a wicked grin.“It’ll be a cloistered life for them,” the younger one pointed out, worrying about the isolation.“I’ll have a chat with a few that I know,” Callidora told her daughter-in-law. “While Septimus can be trusted, I’m not so certain about Molly and her group. Which is a shame considering Lucretia and Ignatius have been nothing but loving to their niece and nephews. My cousin took Gideon and Fabian’s losses very hard.”Augusta nodded, thinking on the situation. Her voice was gentle as she looked back at the older witch.“Most purebloods keep their heirs isolated from society for the most part so keeping Neville somewhat separated from the public will not draw comment. It’s not as if he’d be growing up alone either. The boys would have each other.”“They will indeed,” Callidora said with a soft smile. “It’ll be just fine.”The conversation slowed to a lull, which was eventually interrupted by the healers. The two women were sent home, knowing visiting hours were coming to an end and Callidora had her own charge to get back to.When the Dowager Countess came home, the head elf was ready to greet her and provide the messages of the floo calls she had missed. She nodded as she headed towards her private study, the elf at her heels.“So what did I miss, Toppy?”“Mistress received a floo call from Tobias Marchbanks,” the elf informed her as they entered her study. “Mr. Marchbanks said to tell Mistress that he has received the instructions and paperwork from Gringotts and has already begun to gain the allies needed in the Wizengamot without alerting Dumbledore or Crouch in what’s trying to be done. Mr. Marchbanks said that a trial should be presented possibly in a day or two, and he will call in a favor with Minister Bagnold in order to see it done. He will floo back with any further information as he receives it.”“Good,” she responded, sitting at her desk. “Was there anything else?”“Yes Mistress. The Gringotts’ goblin, Bronzespear, also called to say that the house elves at Teach na Laochra have been contacted and instructed them in regards to funeral arrangements. He also spoke with the head house elf, and a team of house elves are currently emptying the cottage in Godric’s Hollow with the instructions to bring everything to Bronzespear for inventory. Anything damaged will be repaired and stored within the young lord’s vault for him to look over once he is of age. As for the cottage itself, Bronzespear said to inform Mistress that Mr. Tobias Marchbanks is of the same mindset as Mistress in regards to converting it into a war memorial. Both Mr. Marchbanks and Gringotts will represent the Potter Lord’s interest and make an offer to the Ministry when the time is right.”Callidora looked very pleased with the events as they were unfolding so far. She hoped that no snags would be caused to slow things down.“That is excellent news, Toppy. I need you to inform the other houses within the Longbottom estate that we are in mourning for the traditional period for the loss of Marquess and Marchioness. I expect the houses to follow through and show the proper etiquette for this.”Toppy bowed his head, knowing his mistress would definitely observe protocol considering the family ties.“Toppy has already had the other elves pull out the funerary colors and ensure they were clean and ready for Mistress’s command.”“A step ahead of me as usual, Toppy,” she said with a soft smile. “I also need Mimsy to be informed that she will have a second charge added to her care and will be brought to the nursery tomorrow morning.”Large eyes blinked at her, surprised by that announcement.“Toppy shall do so, Mistress. May Toppy ask who is coming to bless this family with their presence?”“My great grandson, Neville, will be released from the hospital tomorrow. You may inform the staff that Master Franklin and Mistress Alice were harmed during an attack and will remain at St. Mungo’s hospital for some time yet. I need you to go through the elves bonded to the estate and pick three or four to ensure that my grandson and his wife are tended to properly. They will keep on rotation so that no one is worn out and ensure Franklin and Alice receive extra care and protection.”The elf looked very distressed at that. All of the elves that served the Longbottom family were very fond of their masters and mistresses. Master Franklin and Mistress Alice were very special people and to know they had been hurt like this was a devastating thing to all of them.“Toppy will do so, Mistress. We all hope for their recovery.”“So do I, Toppy; so do I. For now, we have to focus on the things at hand and keep our charges safe and happy. Since there will be two children under the age of two, make sure Mimsy has help at hand for cleaning as well as watching over the boys. They’ll be reaching a difficult age fairly quickly, and I’m sure an extra set of hands will not go amiss.”“Toppy will be seeing it done, Mistress.”Callidora nodded, reaching for her quill. She knew the house elf was very dedicated to his position and would ensure everything was taken care of.Toppy left his mistress to her correspondence, knowing she would call for assistance if she needed it.Once alone, the gray eyes closed as tears slid down her cheeks. The Longbottom matriarch wept for the losses that had occurred, knowing that her grandson and granddaughter-in-law would never recover from what the Lestrange siblings and Bellatrix had done. The burden of pain was heavier knowing that Bellatrix, a blood relation to the Longbottom family, had done this.The witch grieved in silence for a while before pulling herself together and erased all evidence of the mourning she had done. Callidora closed her eyes against the headache the weeping had given her, breathing in slowly as she did so. There was a lot to be done, and it grieved her to know she had to handle so much of this right now. With a sigh, she picked up her quill and began writing letters to the remaining members of the Black family. She informed them of the death of their family members, the Potters, as well as the fact that Bellatrix had gone against her own kin in using curses against them. Despite the family’s odd leanings at times, family was important. Callidora had plans for Bellatrix, which hinged on Sirius being cleared. She also had plans for the Lestrange brothers, and the Dowager Countess would not be denied this at all. Revenge would be bittersweet, she mused to herself.Her letter writing was interrupted by her house elf appearing within her private study.“I am sorry for disturbing you, Mistress, but you have a visitor,” the elf informed her.“Who is it, Toppy,” she asked, setting her quill down after signing the last letter and sealing it. “Minister Bagnold, Mistress, and she seemed rather insistent on speaking with you,” he replied, knowing that his mistress wanted to speak with said minister.“I see,” she murmured, rising gracefully. “Escort her to the formal sitting room and offer her tea, then let her know I shall be with her in a few moments. Also, tell Daisy that I need a black dress with appropriate accessories to be laid out for me to change,” she ordered, knowing it would be done.Toppy agreed and headed out to fulfill her orders while the woman went up to her suite to change clothing and make sure her face showed no signs of the grieving she had done earlier. When she entered her bedroom, she found that her personal elf had laid out the apparel as requested.Callidora changed clothing, making sure to keep her jewelry simple to reflect the mourning status of the family, and then went to greet her guest. In truth, she was eager for this conversation because she wanted to make a few changes as well as try to rip the rug out from beneath quite a few people’s feet with what she had to tell the Minister of Magic.Minister Millicent Bagnold looked tired as she rose to greet her hostess when the matriarch entered the room. She gave a light curtsy to the Dowager Countess, who nodded in response and took her seat.“Welcome to my home, Minister,” the older woman said in a soft but easily heard voice. Her hands were graceful as she poured the tea, offering it to her guest, who accepted the cup gratefully.“Thank you, my lady,” the stressed woman responded, doctoring her tea up before taking a long sip. She set the cup down with a soft sigh, looking over at the gray eyed woman. “Before I begin, I offer my condolences to the losses your family has experienced. I am grateful that your great grandson will be able to return home soon.”“Thank you, Minister Bagnold,” Callidora replied. “I was grievously shocked by what happened to my grandchildren and am doubly more so with the loss of the Potters as well as the happenings with Sirius Black.”The Minister of Magic frowned for a moment, collecting her thoughts after the mention of the Potters.“I had forgotten the Longbottoms were related to the Potters,” she said, brushing a short lock of hair out of her eyes.“Yes, through me,” the older woman answered. “Dorea and I were cousins, and I was very fond of James and Lily. They visited me quite often together after their marriage, and Harkin was always fun to spoil when I got to see him. Sirius thought the same as well.”“Which makes it difficult to believe that he betrayed the Potters by giving their secret to You-Know-Who,” Millicent replied. “Which is one of the reasons I am here. I was told by your attorneys that you had some issues you wanted to talk to me about away from ears that shouldn’t be listening?”
Callidora set her tea cup down, nodding as she did so. This was the opening she badly needed.
While AFF and its agents attempt to remove all illegal works from the site as quickly and thoroughly as possible, there is always the possibility that some submissions may be overlooked or dismissed in error. The AFF system includes a rigorous and complex abuse control system in order to prevent improper use of the AFF service, and we hope that its deployment indicates a good-faith effort to eliminate any illegal material on the site in a fair and unbiased manner. This abuse control system is run in accordance with the strict guidelines specified above.
All works displayed here, whether pictorial or literary, are the property of their owners and not Adult-FanFiction.org. Opinions stated in profiles of users may not reflect the opinions or views of Adult-FanFiction.org or any of its owners, agents, or related entities.
Website Domain ©2002-2017 by Apollo. PHP scripting, CSS style sheets, Database layout & Original artwork ©2005-2017 C. Kennington. Restructured Database & Forum skins ©2007-2017 J. Salva. Images, coding, and any other potentially liftable content may not be used without express written permission from their respective creator(s). Thank you for visiting!
Powered by Fiction Portal 2.0
Modifications © Manta2g, DemonGoddess
Site Owner - Apollo