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 2: The Search

The following morning, Albus called a staff meeting. He waited until all the teachers were assembled in his office before he began.

"I've checked over the student registry. Harry Potter's name is missing."

"How do you know it was there in the first place?" Severus asked.

"I addressed and sent his letter myself, Severus."

Severus sat back with a scowl on his face.

"So what do you propose, Albus?" Filius asked.

"I would like one or two of you to go to his home and check things out. Do not approach his relatives, just ascertain whether Harry is a resident there or not. I've been told that his relatives aren't the nicest of people." At that, he caught Minerva scowling at him out of the corner of his eye.

"I'll go." Minerva volunteered, her voice daring him to say otherwise. He only nodded.

"I'll go as well." Severus added, shocking everyone in the room.

"You hated The Potters, Snape. Why would you go?" Sinistra asked.

"Because I owe a life debt. I would like to see it through to its conclusion."

"Excellent. You will leave immediately." Albus smiled. The meeting broke up and Severus followed Minerva to the gates of the school.

- - -

Petunia was folding laundry when she caught something out of her peripheral vision. She glanced up quickly to see two strangers lurking at the edge of her yard. She got to her feet, pretending to answer the phone so she could get a closer look. The woman she didn't know but she recognized the man right away.

"Snape." she snorted. "I bet that Dumbledore sent them here to look for Harry."

- - -

Snape watched Petunia talking on the phone, a scowl on his face.

"Wretched muggles." he snorted.

"No argument from me on that one." Minerva replied as she waved her wand. She frowned a moment later. "That's odd."

"What?"

"I'm only picking up two life signs inside. One is the aunt. The other is her son."

"No sign of Potter?"

"None."

Severus pulled out his wand and sent his Patronus off to Albus. He joined them not a few minutes later. He pulled out his wand and muttered a long sting of Latin, frowning as he went.

"I am not picking up Harry's magical signature anywhere in the area. This is most disturbing."

"You don't say." Severus muttered under his breath.

"Follow me, please." Albus stated, walking up to the front door. He knocked politely and waited. A moment later, Petunia herself answered the door.

"Yes?"

"Good day to you, Mrs Dursley. May we come in?" Albus asked.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"Forgive my manners. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of a most prestigious school in Scotland. These are my colleagues, Professors Snape and McGonagall." She glanced at each person in question, scowling darkly at Severus before looking back at Albus.

"What's this about?"

"We would like to speak to you about your nephew. May we come in?"

I wonder how much fun I can have with these people? Petunia thought to herself as she opened the door wider to let them in.

Severus glanced around in distaste. He spotted several pictures on the wall of a tall blond boy with his arm wrapped around the shoulder of a girl with dark hair. He did not make the connection, instead sneered at the pictures and found himself a corner to sulk in.

"You said something about my nephew?" Petunia asked once they were all seated.

"Yes. He was scheduled to attend Hogwarts for his first year. Imagine my surprise when he was not in attendance."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know what your sister was, correct?"

"I do."

"Whenever a student with magical abilities reaches their first age of maturity, in this case, 11 years old, their name appears on the student roster of Hogwarts, ensuring their place within school society. Letters are then magically written with their name and address and owled to them the month before school official starts."

"And this concerns my nephew in what way?"

"I sent Harry's letter myself as his name did appear in my books. Imagine my surprise when he not only didn't show for his first day, but that his name no longer appeared in my books. We have some concerns about his well-being, which is why we are in your presence at this moment."

"I see." Petunia stated, sitting back in her seat. She appeared to be thinking something over and Albus left her alone. After a while, Albus started to get fidgety.

"Can we speak to him?"

"Him who?" Petunia asked.

"Your nephew." Minerva sighed.

"Oh. I suppose..." Petunia began.

"Excellent!" Albus smiled, interrupting her.

"...if I had a nephew." she concluded. That stopped everyone in their tracks.

"I'm sorry? I don't think I heard you correctly."

"You heard me. I don't have a nephew. I've never had a nephew, and I resent the implication that you think I do."

"I don't understand. Your sister, Lily, had a child. He was left here almost 11 years ago when she and her husband were killed."

"I know all about my sister's death, thank you very much. I blame you as much as I blame the one who did it." Petunia scowled darkly, now looking at Snape. "And I know exactly who you are Severus Snape. Lily told me all about you and your associates." Severus visibly flinched. She turned back to Albus.

"And I honestly don't know what you are talking about. I've no nephew living here, and I never have. The only boy in this house is my son, Dudley. And you'll not be harassing him about this supposed nephew of mine, thank you very much!"

"We wouldn't dream of it, dear lady. Please excuse our intrusion into your life." Albus nodded, getting to his feet. He motioned for Severus and Minerva and they followed him out of the house and back to Hogwarts. Albus sat in his chair, his eyes no longer twinkling.

"What are we going to do, Albus?" Minerva asked.

"We will have to conduct a search of the highest priority. I'm afraid I will have to involve the Ministry in this as much as I loathe to. Severus, you will have to get Voldemort's followers involved as well."

"Are you insane?" Severus gaped.

"I have to use whatever resources I have to secure the boy, Severus."

"As you wish. I will leave immediately."

- - -

Harry chuckled into the phone as she spoke to her aunt. She had been pulled out of her law class to take the call and it was well worth missing part of her lessons.

"I think I would have loved to see the expression on his face." Harry grinned.

"Enough about him. How are your classes?"

"Oh, they are wonderful. There were things I didn't even know about being a witch. Did you know that the British Ministry and American Ministry have a completely different set of rules regarding underage magic during those times when school isn't in session?"

"No. What are the differences?"

"Well in Britain, a child caught doing underage magic can be expelled and have their wand snapped, without benefit of a trial of some kind. Americans take each individual case and examine the reasons why the magic was done before making a ruling. So if a child was defending themselves from abuse or something, if they were in Britain, they could be kicked out of school."

"That's horrible!" Petunia gaped.

"That's what I said. The laws are so different here. But I love my classes and I've made some excellent friends."

"That's wonderful, sweetheart."

"I should probably get back to class, Aunt Petunia."

"Will we see you at Christmas?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss that for anything." Harry grinned.

"Then we'll see you then. Write soon."

"I will. Give my love to everyone."

"Bye Harry."

"I love you, Auntie. See you." And then Harry hung up.

"Everything okay back home?" asked Principal DeWitt.

"Just fine, sir." Harry smiled, feeling a little homesick.

"Then back to class young lady." he smiled.

"Yes, sir." she saluted before leaving the room, the principal's laughter echoing behind her.




To Be Continued...

..::..Chapter 3..::..


If Petunia had magic, I think she would have been an excellent Slytherin.

Missed the beginning?

..::..Prologue..:..Chapter 1..::..

This story is amusing me in the most silly ways. LoL!