Prologue

James Potter paced restlessly in the dimly lit nursery, his senses on high alert. The air felt charged with an ominous tension, a feeling he couldn't shake. Lily, seated in the rocking chair with baby Harry cradled in her arms, looked up at him with concern etched on her face.

"James, what's wrong?" Lily whispered, her voice tinged with worry.

James paused, his eyes flickering to the window as a faint chill swept through the room. "I don't know, Lils," he murmured, his hand absently brushing through his hair. "I just have this... this feeling."

Their daughter Rose, nestled in her crib nearby, stirred slightly, sensing her father's unease. James moved closer to Lily, placing a protective arm around her shoulders. "Maybe it's nothing," he said, trying to reassure both himself and his wife.

But deep down, James couldn't shake the premonition that something terrible was about to happen. His instincts, honed through years of fighting against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, screamed at him to be vigilant.

Suddenly, the tranquility of the night shattered.

A thunderous crash reverberated through the house as the front door burst open with a forceful bang. James instinctively pushed Lily and the twins behind him, his heart pounding in his chest. Through the doorway, a figure cloaked in darkness emerged - Voldemort, the Dark Lord himself.

"Lily, take the kids and go!" James commanded urgently, his voice tight with fear and determination. He knew they were in mortal danger, but he couldn't let Voldemort reach his family.

"No, James, I won't leave you!" Lily protested, her eyes wide with terror as she clutched Harry tightly against her chest.

James glanced at Lily, his gaze filled with love and anguish. "Take them and run," he pleaded softly, his voice cracking with emotion. "Please, Lily. Keep them safe."

Before Lily could respond, Voldemort's cold, high-pitched voice cut through the air like a knife. "Avada Kedavra!"

As the Killing Curse streaked towards them with deadly intent, James Potter reacted instinctively, throwing himself in front of Lily and their children. The green light collided with the protective runic circle that Lily had painstakingly carved throughout their home, a result of her months of studying obscure magics to safeguard her family. The powerful rebound of the curse struck Voldemort directly, annihilating his physical form in a burst of destructive magic.

However, the protective runic circle drained an immense amount of magical energy not only from Voldemort but also from James, Lily, and to a lesser extent, Harry. James and Lily collapsed into a coma, their life forces depleted by the protective magic they had invoked. Harry, shielded by his parents' sacrifice, bore the lingering effects as well, his magical core weakened to below average levels.

As Lily fell unconscious, her wedding ring scraped against Rose's forehead, leaving behind a lightning-shaped mark.

In the aftermath of the tragic events at Godric's Hollow, Dumbledore arrived to find a scene of devastation. Lily and James Potter lay gravely injured, their home in ruins, and the Dark Lord's presence still palpable in the air. Amidst the chaos, Dumbledore's instincts as a protector and leader kicked in immediately.

In that tense and critical moment amidst the wreckage, Dumbledore's heart raced with urgency and sorrow as he spotted young Rose and Harry Potter crying in their crib. The dimly lit room was filled with remnants of protective spells, evidence of Dumbledore's own diligent efforts over the years.

As Dumbledore approached the crib, his eyes fell upon the distinctive lightning-shaped scar on Rose's forehead. His mind, clouded by grief and the chaos of the aftermath, leaped to conclusions driven by the prophecy of the Vanquisher of Voldemort. He believed Rose, marked by this scar, to be the prophesied child destined to defeat the Dark Lord.

Meanwhile, as he glanced at Harry, Dumbledore sensed something amiss in the magic surrounding the young boy. In the haze of his sorrow and the urgency of the situation, he misinterpreted the almost imperceptible magical aura around Harry. To Dumbledore, it seemed as if Harry possessed only a fraction of magical potential — an assessment that led him to believe Harry might be a squib, lacking in magical abilities altogether.

In that critical moment of grief and urgency, Dumbledore's decision took shape with profound consequences for both children.

Dumbledore, believing Rose to be the prophesied child destined to defeat Voldemort due to her lightning-shaped scar, decided to raise her himself. He saw her as the chosen one, the Vanquisher of Voldemort, and thus felt a personal responsibility to nurture and prepare her for the challenges ahead. This decision was driven by his interpretation of the prophecy and his desire to ensure that the chosen one would be guided and protected.

Conversely, Dumbledore, misinterpreting Harry's magical potential as being significantly limited or even absent, decided to leave him with the Dursleys. In his sorrow and urgency, he believed that Harry might not fulfill the magical expectations set by the wizarding world. This decision, while seemingly harsh, was made with the intention of providing Harry with a normal upbringing away from the fame and dangers associated with being the prophesied child.

Lily and James Potter, celebrated heroes of the wizarding world, remained in a deep coma at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, completely unaware of the divergent paths their children had taken.

After the tragic events of the attack at the hands of Lord Voldemort, Lily and James were kept alive magically but unconscious due to the severity of their injuries. They were placed under constant care at St. Mungo's, surrounded by healers and magical experts striving to find a way to awaken them.

In the meantime, their two children, Harry and Rose, had grown up in vastly different environments. Harry, raised by the Dursleys under the manipulative and neglectful guardianship of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, endured a childhood of emotional neglect and abuse. His magical abilities, suppressed and scorned by the Dursleys, were a constant source of confusion and fear, exacerbated by his lack of knowledge about his parents and their heroic legacy.

Meanwhile, Rose's early years were marked by indulgence and privilege, fostered by Dumbledore, who saw her potential as a tool for his own agendas. From a young age, he showered her with attention and gifts, reinforcing a sense of entitlement and superiority. Under his influence, Rose grew accustomed to getting her way, her tantrums met with appeasement rather than discipline.

By the age of five, Rose had developed a reputation for being demanding and self-centered. Dumbledore's mentorship had stunted her emotional growth, focusing solely on honing her magical abilities without instilling the virtues of humility or empathy. Her theoretical knowledge and spellcasting skills were advanced for her age, but her intellectual pursuits were overshadowed by a lack of emotional maturity.

Despite her intellect, Rose's interactions with others were marred by arrogance and a disdain for those she deemed inferior. Dumbledore's teachings had skewed her perceptions, fostering a belief in her inherent superiority over others in the wizarding community.

---

Hey fellow fanfic enthusiasts!

I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it. Whether you loved it, hated it, or have some constructive criticism, your feedback is super important to me. Feel free to drop a comment or send me a message with your thoughts. Can't wait to hear from you!

If you're passionate about fanfiction and love discussing stories, characters, and plot twists, then you're in the right place! I've created a Discord server dedicated to diving deep into the world of fanfiction, especially my own stories. Whether you're a reader, a writer, or just someone who enjoys a good tale, I welcome you to join us for lively discussions, feedback sessions, and maybe even some sneak peeks into upcoming chapters, along with artwork related to the stories. Let's nerd out together over our favorite fandoms and explore the endless possibilities of storytelling!

Click the link below to join the conversation:

https://discord.com/invite/HHHwRsB6wd

Can't wait to see you there!

If you appreciate my work and want to support me, consider buying me a cup of coffee. Your support helps me keep writing and bringing more stories to you. You can do so via PayPal here:

https://www.paypal.me/VikrantUtekar007

Or through my Buy Me a Coffee page:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vikired001s

Thank you for your support!