Rise of Harry Potter Chapter 1 Things Go Wrong

It was Christmas Day. The North Pole was quiet, the yetis and elves taking time off after the increasing frantic efforts to prepare for the Big Night. Four people sat around the fire in the Globe Room – well, three by the fire and one on the nearest windowsill.

"Where's North? Shouldn't he be back by now?" the Tooth Fairy fretted.

"Relax," the Easter Bunny said, not looking up from the small plastic egg he was painting. "He's probably just easing off on the reindeer on the return journey."

The Sandman stuck one finger in the air excitedly. The golden sand above his head formed a miniature sleigh, then the workshop, then the sleigh again surrounded by whorls.

"The wind can tell us how far away he is?" Tooth translated eagerly. "You're right! Jack? Hey, Jack!"

"Hmm?" The teenaged boy lounging on the windowsill snapped out of his doze, propping himself up with his long shepherd's crook. "What's up?"

"Can't stay up for Santa Claus?" Bunny sniggered.

"You have any idea how much effort goes into creating a white Christmas?" Jack Frost yawned. "I mean, I've seen how tired you are on Easter Monday…"

"Jack, can you check with the winds how far away North is?" Tooth asked.

"Sure," Jack said, and took to the air, flying out an open skylight. A moment later, he returned. "About five minutes," he reported, helping himself to a cup of cocoa from the kettle set away from the fire, not the one hanging above it. The creamy chocolate was as cool as a milkshake, but much sweeter. Nursing the cup, the winter spirit returned to his perch, cuddling his staff.

A few minutes later, as predicted, the jingle of sleigh bells announced North's return. Shortly after, the Guardian of Wonder stomped into the Globe Room and collapsed heavily into an armchair. Tooth poured a cup of hot cocoa for him, and Sandy placed a plate of cookies on his knee. "How was it, mate?" Bunny asked.

North smiled wearily. "A most successful Christmas."

The other Guardians congratulated him, but Jack noticed, on the Globe, a single flashing light.

In a small town in Surrey, two nine-year-old boys woke on Christmas morning. One of them charged downstairs, waking the other three occupants. He ran straight to the tree and tore into the presents.

The other boy curled into himself, hidden in the cupboard under the stairs.

Both boys were familiar with the story of Santa Claus. Good kids get presents; bad kids don't.

Dudley Dursley, despite being a selfish bully, always got plenty of presents. Therefore, in his mind, his actions were right and good.

Harry Potter, however, was victimized, starved, and locked away. He never got any gifts, and so Dudley had concluded that he must be doing something naughty. As all the evidence supported Dudley's supposition, Harry assumed it must be so.

But as Harry lay curled up, alone and hungry in the darkness, he realised something. He hadn't done anything wrong. Dudley, never the cleverest, had been incorrect. And as he wasn't getting presents, that must mean there was no Santa Claus.

There was no wonder in the life of Harry Potter. There was no hope, no joy in memories, no escape in dreams.

In the cupboard under the stairs, on Christmas morning, Harry Potter stopped believing.

Jack frowned at the Globe. He was sure he'd just seen a light wink out. He dropped down to the floor and tapped one of his fellow Guardians on the shoulder. "Bunny," he murmured, quietly to avoid worrying the exhausted North. "One of the lights went out."

Bunny stepped away from the others. "You sure?" he asked.

"Pretty sure," Jack nodded.

"Unusual for a loss of belief on Christmas Day or Easter Sunday," Bunny mused. "Unless something went wrong with the delivery."

"Maybe someone on the Naughty List?" Jack suggested.

"Maybe," Bunny agreed. "Where was the light?"

"England," Jack answered. He pulled the winds from the slight drafts around him and flew up to the Globe. He landed on the European land mass and examined the island. "A town in Surrey called Little Whinging."

"We'll check the lists," Bunny shrugged. "Probably a mid-teen who skipped class one too many times."

"Do the lists say who believes?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, and when they stopped," Bunny nodded.

"Jack, Bunny," Tooth called. "North's nodded off. Sandy and I are checking the dream clouds and my girls. See you soon." Tooth threw down a portal snow globe and flew off, while Sandy formed a biplane out of his dream sand and left via the skylight.

"He'll be out for long enough to nip down and grab his paperwork," Bunny decided, watching the sleeping Cossack.

"Race you," Jack said quickly, and took to the wind.

"Come back, you show pony!" Bunny hissed, giving chase.

Moments later, the pair skidded to a halt in North's office. They pulled open drawers and looted the files, before heading back to the Globe Room.

"Right," Bunny said, flipping through papers. "Lucky for us, these are done by location, their order on the route."

"If they make it on the Nice List," Jack nodded. "Surrey's quite near the Greenwich Meridian, so that's about halfway through."

"Got it," Bunny agreed, taking a large handful off the top of the pile. "This is Switzerland and this…" He took another load off. "…takes us to Canada." He divided the middle sheaf and handed half to Jack. "Let's find Surrey."

Jack took the pages and flitted back to the windowsill, leaning his crook against the wall to keep his hands free. Silence fell, broken only by the rustle of paper, the crackle of the fire, and North's snores.

"Most of what I've got is France, Spain, Portugal…" Jack mused, flipping over his last sheet. "You?"

"British Isles to part of Canada," the Pooka nodded. "Help me search this."

They located the right town and ran through the names. "Here's a couple of nine-, ten-year-olds. Piers, Dennis, Dudley, Gordon, Malcolm…"

"They all still believe, though," Bunny pointed out. "I don't see any names that have stopped believing in the last month."

"Must be someone on the Nice List," Jack shrugged. "Good job we nabbed that too."

Bunny snickered, and they spent the next ten minutes finding the right place. "Got him," Jack said at last. "Poor kid's only nine, looks like he's good as gold."

"What's his name?" Bunny asked.

"Harry Potter."

AN: This is set nearly two years after Rise of the Guardians, and obviously a year and a half before Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone). This is going to be a very long story, spanning many years. It will be updated in a few weeks.

People who haven't read my works before: I update every Monday (unless I'm late). I focus on my Batman stuff, but have expanded my repertoire somewhat of late. I publish three chapters every week across my range of WIPs.

For my regulars: this week the next chapters of Wayne's Boys: Flashback, where a little bird has lost his wings, and Little Bird's Vengeance, where another bird has problems to deal with. Next week, more of both of those fics, and the start of the third of my new Harry Potter fics, a crossover with Doctor Who called Time, Space, Magic.

Please review, my lovely readers.

Until next time,

Katara