Title: Just A Girl
Author: Lady B
Genre: AU Het
Pairing: Draco/Girl!Harry
Rating for this chapter: PG
Summary: Lily Potter was the top of her class in Charms and Hexes. With a bit of creativity and a spell from an ancient relative, she cast a spell upon Harry the moment she died, thereby ensuring that her child would survive. Only no one understood the nature of her spell and its long-term effects. Is the Wizarding World prepared to deal with...A Girl Who Lived?
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Author's Note: Yes this is het. I know I said I'd never write one again, but my bunny was chomping at my heels for this. I'm not following the books/movies much and there will be time-line jumps.

- - -

Chapter 3: Harry Comes Home

Over the next three years, searches were conducted by everyone capable of holding a wand in the search for The Boy Who Lived. It was like pulling blood from a stone. Not even Lucius Malfoy's Ministry contacts could locate the boy and everyone was become discouraged.

With the goings on at Hogwarts, The School Board was keeping Dumbledore on a very tight leash. After all, hiding a potentially deadly weapon (The Philosopher's Stone) in a school, a possessed teacher trying to kill students (Quirrel) to get to said stone, not to mention allowing a basilisk to run loose, not knowing about a student being in possession of one of Voldemort's horcrux and being killed for it (Ginny), an escape convict being Kissed on school grounds (Sirius), and allowing a potentially dangerous Dark Creature to teach (Remus), did not endear Albus to any of the board members in any way, shape or form. His every action with the students was scrutinized and it was making Albus irritable. After all, if Harry had been at the school like he should have been, the school board would have left him alone. Albus blamed Harry – and as soon as he found him, he was going to lock him up in Hogwarts and never let him out again until it was time to defeat Voldemort once and for all.

He was contemplating the usage Dark Magic to locate the wayward savior when an owl from the Magical Board of Education landed on his desk. He paid the owl and took the envelope addressed to him. He opened it and skimmed the contents, not really understanding what he was looking at. He went back and read it slowly from the beginning.

Headmaster Albus Dumbledore
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Scotland

To whom this may concern;

I am pleased to announce that your school has been selected to host a transfer student from The Salem Institute of Magic in The United States. She is a student beyond measure with high marks in all of her classes. They feel that their institution can no longer hold her interests as she is above and beyond one of the brightest and most powerful young witches of our time.

She will be arriving by international Floo at the British Ministry of Magic on October 31 at 2pm. Please have someone from your staff meet her there. Attached you will find a listing of her achievements and awards as well as her scores for the last three years.

We at The MBE do hope you make the young lady feel welcome.

Sincerely,
Olivia Acacia
Magical Board of Education

Albus felt a grin split his face. His eyes lingered on the words most powerful witches of our time.

Well...if he couldn't have Harry Potter, then this mysterious young lady would be the next best thing...

- - -

Harry stepped out of the international floo at exactly 2 and looked around for the person she was supposed to meet. There was a stern looking witch in tartan robes standing off to the side and looking around as if lost.

Professor McGonagall, I assume. Harry sighed to herself. She picked up her bag with her things and moved toward the woman.

"Excuse me, are you Professor McGonagall?" she asked. The woman looked at her, eyes softening.

"Yes I am. Are you the student I'm supposed to meet."

"Yes ma'am. Thank you for meeting me."

"My pleasure. Do you have all your things?"

Harry held up her bag and gave it a little shake.

"All right here."

"Then let us be on our way. The Headmaster is very anxious to meet you, and we would like to get you sorted into your house before dinner."

"That would be wonderful." Harry smiled. She followed the professor to another floo port and called out her destination as she tossed in the powder.

"Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office." They both stepped into the fire and were whisked away.

Harry stepped out first and quickly moved out of the way when Minerva came through. Harry took out her wand and waved it over the both of them to remove the soot that clung to their robes.

"Thank you." Minerva smiled.

"You're welcome." A throat clearing announced the presence of another in the room and both witches turned to see Albus sitting behind his desk and smiling. He caught Harry's eye and she immediately felt an unwanted presence in her mind. She quickly slammed down her shields, scowling at the Headmaster the whole time.

"Excuse me sir, but that's not the best way to start off a relationship such as ours." Harry snapped. "I'd appreciate it if you would ask me what you wanted to know instead of trying to pry it from my head." Minerva stared at Albus in shock.

"Albus Dumbledore! How could you?" she snapped.

"My apologies to you both. It shall never happen again."

"See that it doesn't, Albus, or I will report you to the school board myself." Minerva stated. Albus flinched at that not-so-idle threat and indicated that everyone take a seat.

"Well, young lady, as you know, I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. Welcome to our school."

"Thank you."

"What do you say we get you sorted, hmm?" he smiled, pulling an old ratty hat down from the shelf. She took it from him and placed it on her head. The hat came to life.

"Well, Ms Potter. I see you've finally made your way home."

"Yes I have."

"You have quite the mind in here. Your mother has done an excellent job of protecting you. I must say it was quite amusing to watch the Headmaster flounder about looking for you. Won't he be surprised that he has Harry Potter in his office but of the wrong gender."

"My Aunt is having so much fun at his expense."

"I bet she is. So, where to put you? Your parents were both Gryffindor as you know, and you do have the qualities befitting a lion."

"They would want me to be happy wherever I was placed. It matters not to me."

"Very well then...better be...SLYTHERIN!" The hat announced. Harry removed the hat from her head and handed it back to Dumbledore. He had a frown on his face that no one noticed but Harry. Albus quickly schooled his features into a happy smile.

"Welcome to Slytherin, young lady." Albus smiled, waving his wand to place a Slytherin badge on her robes. There was a knock on the door and a moment later, Severus Snape came into the room. "Severus, right on time. I have a new student who has just been sorted into your house you should meet." Severus turned to look at Harry, and again Harry felt that uncomfortable feeling of someone trying to pry into her head. She easily tossed the man out, giving him a headache in the process. Severus's eyes widened in shock.

"You know Occulemency?"

"We were taught the discipline at S.I.M." Harry replied. Severus frowned and looked at Albus for clarification.

"She is a transfer student from The Salem Institute of Magic in The States."

"Fascinating. And they teach Mind Discipline there?" he turned back to Harry to ask.

"Both branches. I received high marks in both." Harry stated honestly.

"Then I welcome you to Slytherin with open arms, Ms..."

Harry's face transformed into a smirk worthy of her new house.

"Potter. Harrietta Potter. But my friends call me Harry." And with that, she raised her bangs up for everyone to see the lightning bolt-shaped scar on her forehead.

Minerva gaped in shock. Albus nearly choked on the lemon drop he'd just placed in his mouth.

There was a thud in the room and everyone turned to see that Severus Snape, most feared teacher at Hogwarts, had fainted.




To Be Continued...

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

..::..Chapter 4..::..

Missed the beginning?
..::..Prologue..:..Chapter 1..::..Chapter 2..::..