Rota Fortuna: The Elements of Power
Complete Summary: (AU) First Part of Rota Fortuna Petunia Dursley's world is turned upside down in a single night when her husband and son die as well as her sister, and brother-in-law. Despite hating her sister's family, she immediately takes to young Harry Potter, her last living relative and perhaps her only real reason to live. They flee the country to start anew in America.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Tatler.
This chapter's quote is from quotations page . c o m (take out the spaces).
There will be a lot of OCs simply for the fact that Harry & Petunia will not be living in England and Harry will not go to Hogwarts. Any major romance will not appear for a while.
Chapter One
Tragic Eve of All Hallows Day
"Pale Death with impartial tread beats at the poor man's cottage door and at the palaces of kings."
--Horace
To Petunia Dursley, Halloween was simply another day to show off. She, like any other woman whom cared about impressions, had spent all of October getting ready for the dentist-beloved holiday. Tonight, she'd bask in the satisfaction of a job well done as children and adults alike complimented her on her gorgeous decorations. The candy bowl was overflowing with sugary confections that all children adored with extra bowls of candy in the needed preparation. She was ready for anything.
Halloween at the Dursley's was a well orchestrated day this year. Last year, Petunia made the mistake of taking her son, dear Duddykins, trick-or-treating with her husband, Vernon, for the first time in Dudley's life. While this may not seem like a problem to any sane person, it was a problem for Petunia. For weeks the neighbors were scoffing at Petunia for not staying at home and passing out candy. They believed that since there were two parents that only one needed to take the child and the other should stay at home. Petunia and Vernon were fighting over the issue for just as long.
To avoid that particular issue again this year, it was decided that Petunia would stay behind to pass out candy while Vernon and Dudley went out trick-or-treating. Petunia finished up her daily cleaning of the house and curled up on the couch with the latest edition of Tatler (1). It was suffice to say she had many candy-hungry visitors and many compliments that night.
Petunia's night was almost over and it had been going spectacularly. She got some much needed time to herself, compliments, and some new gossip to spread about the neighborhood. Their new next door neighbors, the Haverfords, had made the exact mistake Petunia had made last year! What could be a better fact to let "slip-out" than that? However, her joy would not last forever.
The telephone on the beautiful end table by the sofa she was sitting on started ringing. In order to make a good impression on whoever the caller was, she dropped her magazine and leaped for the phone before it had a chance to ring the second time.
"Hello, this is the Dursley residence, Petunia Dursley speaking," she announced in an often practiced bright tone.
"Hello Mrs. Dursley, I'm Dr. Renee Mortimer. I'm sorry to say that your husband has been in a car accident…" a feminine voice said in a voice that said she did this sort of thing all too often.
"Are… are they okay?"
"I… your son died in the crash, your husband's in the Emergency Room but he isn't faring well," Dr. Mortimer replied.
"Where is he?" Petunia asked in a panicky voice. Dr. Mortimer replied with the name of the hospital she was calling from. Petunia hung up, grabbed a light jacket and was out the door in seconds. Gossip be damned, she was going to her husband whether it was Halloween or not. She left a pair of startled trick-or-treaters with their hands poised over her doorbell. She started up her car and left for the hospital.
A half-hour or so later, Petunia found herself bawling outside the room her husband was inside. The reality of the situation had hit her like a mallet. Her precious baby was dead; her husband was on his way. All she could do was pray that her husband would survive.
A beautiful woman with honey colored hair and sorrowful brown eyes exited the room. Petunia stared at her expectantly. The doctor shook her head at Petunia's silent question.
"I'm very sorry Mrs. Dursley, but there isn't anything we can do for him but make him more comfortable. He doesn't have much time left. You may come speak to him if you want," the doctor announced full of regret.
Petunia's stomach lurched; her whole life was falling apart around her. She bit back her sobs, and nodded. She walked into the room and sat in a chair by an unconscious but barely alive Vernon. Her cries and mutters fell on deaf ears. All too soon, Death had taken away her husband as well.
Kilometers away, there was the Potter residence. The three people that lived in the Potter manor in Godric's Hollow were all content and happy to be together that night, even though they could not go outside of their home without risking death. These three people were James Potter, Lily Potter, and their baby son, Harry Potter.
It was nearing ten o'clock. Harry had long been laid to rest in bed. James and Lily were enjoying the peace by the fire place, talking about old times in each other's loving embrace. Things had been very hectic for a while ever since they heard of the prophecy. It was about time that things had calmed down.
The grandfather clock in their living room struck ten and a powerful, deep gong sounded throughout the home ten times. That was when James felt the wards on his home come crashing down around him. A loud pop echoed in a ghastly way. Some one had apparated outside the front door. Presumably it was an uninvited and unwanted guest that wasn't here for tea and biscuits.
"Lily, go get Harry and get out of here!" James ordered, defiance burning in his eyes.
"What about you?"
"I'll be fine, now go get Harry!"
"But…"
"NOW!!!"
Lily turned and ran up the stairs as fast as she could. She threw open the door to the nursery and grabbed a teddy bear from the top shelf, it was the port key. She heard her husband scream from the bottom floor. Then there was a dull thump on the ground and maniacal laughter floating up the stairway. Lily took a deep breath, hoping that it wasn't what she thought it was. Lily dashed across the room to Harry's crib.
"Accio teddy bear," a cold, snakelike voice called. The port key flew out of Lily's hand towards the spell caster – Voldemort. Lily turned around and stood protectively in front of the crib. Voldemort stalked towards her.
"You know what I want," Voldemort said. Lily shivered at the cold voice. Lily shook her head at him and looked him defiantly in the eye.
"No."
"You foolish filthy mudblood, give me the boy and your life will be spared," Voldemort replied to her negative answer with a sneer. Once again Lily refused to move or give Harry to Voldemort.
"You leave me with no choice. Avada Kedavra!" A sickly green light emitted from a strange stick in the villain's hand. An earth shattering shriek indicated that the spell had hit its intended target. Lily slumped to the floor in an anti-climatic fashion, a now silent scream marring her otherwise beautiful face. Voldemort kicked Lily's body out of his way and peered over the crib's edge to see the last remaining Potter.
"Avada Kedavra."
The next event was so strange, it was doubtful that either participant would know what exactly had transpired. The ghastly green light meant for the infant in the crib hit its mark… and bounced back? As the green light engulfed Voldemort's body, he screamed louder and more eerily than any other had that night.
About an hour later, a distraught man riding on a flying motorcycle landed outside of the house that now lay in ruins. Panic crossed is handsome face as he realized what had indeed happened. It was Sirius Black's worst nightmare. He was almost too distraught to hear a baby wailing. As soon as he did, however, he was at the house and sifting through the remains quicker than the blink of an eye.
It was with tears and moans of sorrow that he found the bodies of his best friend James and his wife Lily. Moments later, with a sigh of relief, he found the source of the cries. It was an infant boy with messy black hair and emerald eyes, his godson Harry.
"Pa'foo!" Harry exclaimed with a giggle as he realized who had come to rescue him. A trickle of blood was running down his face. Sirius thought, no he knew, that that was a strange thing. He wiped away the blood and found the source to be a strange lightning bolt scar on his forehead.
"Hey there Prongs Jr…" Sirius replied, trying to smile for Harry in vain.
"Sirius Black!" A deep, bellowing voice exclaimed friendlily. Sirius turned around to see a man at least twice as tall as Sirius himself in ragged clothing with long dark hair and full beard. It was Hagrid, a good friend of Sirius and his friends.
"Hagrid? What are you doing here?" Sirius asked.
"I've been sent here on Dumbledore's orders to bring Harry to him," Hagrid replied, eyeing the bundle in Sirius' arms.
Sirius hesitated. Should he give Harry to Hagrid? Well, if Dumbledore wanted Harry, it was probably with good reason. But what if Dumbledore thought that he had betrayed Lily and James?
"Here," Sirius said as he handed Harry to Hagrid. He had made his decision, and who was he to argue with Dumbledore? "You can take my bike, it'll be quicker."
"Thanks," Hagrid replied. Once he was gone with Harry, Sirius turned on his heel and disappeared, leaving only the ruins of the home of a once great family. Sirius was off to set things straight.
After a short discussion of events on the dark side walk in front of 4 Privet Drive, a small bundle was placed on the house's door step. The only things who indicated the child's identity was a note and a few legal documents.
It was only the morn of All Hallows Day – only hours after Petunia's life came crashing down around her. It took all her will power to try and keep to her routine. She grabbed her empty milk bottles from the kitchen counter and set off down the hall for the front door. She opened the door and was leaning down to place the bottles on the doorstep when she noticed something amiss.
She let out a quiet yelp of surprise when she recognized her most unlikely package, her sister's son Harry Potter. Luckily, he had yet to awake. She placed the bottles on the step beside Harry and delicately picked up the papers resting on top of him. After reading them, she stood in the doorway for a few moments with a contemplative look on her face. Then, as if she had reached a decision, picked up the baby bundle and took him inside. The door shut so quietly, that one would wonder if it had ever been opened or shut at all.
(1) Tatler is a British society magazine. I think that it's supposed to be popular, but I wouldn't know since I'm American.
A/N: Well, I actually finally finished a chapter of a fan fiction. I don't know how long it'll be until the next chapter, but it was hell trying to finish this one! I know that it is kind of boring right now, but this is just starting to set things up. Please review and tell me what you think! I'd really like to receive some constructive criticism because I want to better myself as a writer.