A nurtured secret

Hay guy’s, yes, yes I know I’ve been terrible, but finally here is your long awaited chapter, with a fair few surprises and changes and all sorts so I hope you like it. Once again a big thanks to my faithful reviewers and to Wanderingknitesfire my inspiration.

Enjoy!


The birth of Hallie Evanshire


Harry was silent on the way to the train station, staring out the window and trying desperately to calm his nerves.

“Hal?” Bennie asked, glancing briefly from the road to Harry, and then back again.

“Hmm?” Harry answered distractedly.

“Your nervous aren’t you? I told you there’s nothing to be nervous about! I’ve trained you up to be the perfect woman and we even tested your new skills out on your aunt and uncle didn’t we?”

Harry smiled, after the two weeks free house was up, Harry had moved in with Bennie for a couple of weeks to complete his training, this had worked out well as of course, his Aunt and Uncle believed him dead.

Then after Harry’s training Dudley had asked if he could have a friend to stay for the week, stating that this friend was going to help him study for re-sits.

So Harry had arrived on the Dursley’s doorstep, quaking with the fear that he would be recognised. But when Aunt Petunia had opened the door the expression on her face had been one of absolute enchantment, and immediately Harry had found himself in the spare room (previously his bedroom) preparing for welcome tea and scones.

The entire week had been a blast, for the first time he’d been treated like royalty by both the senior Dursley’s and he and Dudley had had many a giggle over it. He’d been taken to dinner, lunch and several exciting days out, even his birthday was celebrated. Manicure and hair styling outings were plentiful from Petunia and Harry had found himself in the position of confident when it came to her. Apparently after 17 years worth of living in a house with three other males she was crying out for female company, and her little group of friends from the charity functions just didn’t cut it.

But the week had been over as swiftly as it had begun and Bennie had picked him up on Saturday morning with his trunk in the back, and now here he was on his way to the station.

“I know Bennie, it’s jus that the people of Hogwarts know me a lot better than the Dursley’s ever attempted to, I’m just frightened I’ll slip up.”

“You won’t, you know your new history off by heart and the amount of times I’ve told you about your account changes I don’t know…what are they by the way?”

Harry sighed, “The account number is 253 now and I’m not to expect any special treatment from the elves as I have no elevated status. I am to remember that they believe I’m from Portugal, just as Hogwarts does, and that my money has been wired to them from the Portuguese bank.”

“And what do you say if they comment on the fact that you have exactly the same amount in your account has Harry Potter did before he died and the money went missing?”

“That all my previous bank details are with the Portuguese bank and that they should contact them if they have any problems. Look I’ve already done this once when I withdrew my money for the year.” Harry said exasperatedly.

“I know I’m just making certain, ah here we are, I think this is where I’ll bid you adieu so as to save awkward questions, grab a trolley and I’ll load up your trunk for you.”

Harry did so, marvelling at how accomplished a walker he was in heels now as he walked with the trolley back to the car. Bennie was busy charming all his new clothes into his trunk and changing the name plate to say ‘Hallie Evanshire’.

Once this was done and they’d loaded the trunk onto the trolley, they turned to each other and there was a moment of awkwardness as they each danced around the idea of hugging goodbye. Eventually, remembering his training Harry reached up on his tip toes and kissed Bennie on the cheek.

“Thank you for all you’ve done Bennie, come and visit me in whenever you want, just send me a note saying when and I’ll meet you in Hogsmead.”

Bennie simply nodded before saying goodbye in a suspiciously husky voice before getting into his car and zooming off.

***

Harry nervously sat back on the seat in his compartment, crossing his legs and folding his hands as Bennie had taught him to do in a skirt. Without a male there to assist he had had to close all the blinds and heft the trunk onto the rack himself, belatedly remembering the levitation charm Hermione used to employ to deposit her trunk in the overhead space.

Not that he was being sexist of course, he knew very well that girls could lift their own trunks around, (consider Millicent Bulstrode for example) but it was thought very rude to let them do so.

So there he was after that little episode, trying to look normal and going over his new history in his head for what seemed like the thousandth time.

It was actually very lucky that he’d been able to get back into Hogwarts, they were not in the habit of taking new students who were not first years, but Bennie had written such an appealing letter as Hallie’s father about the importance of his little daughters education, that Dumbledore must have been bowled over with sympathy and the need to help.

Harry broke these thoughts off with a minute shake of the head, the interview with Dumbledore was definitely going to be one of the more difficult tasks ahead of him.

Suddenly the muffled footsteps and excitable voices of the corridor became a lot clearer as the door to his compartment opened.

“Don’t worry, it’s only a muggle born, we’re less likely to be disturbed here then anywhere else.”

And before Harry’s eyes, Draco Malfoy stepped gracefully into the compartment, with three other people close behind.

He recognised them to be Blaise Zambini, Millicent Bulstrode and a quiet little Slytherin named Duncan.

He remembered that the Zambini family had never got themselves into the war, and Blaise had lost a fair few Aunts and Uncles because of it. But it was almost as if his closest family were untouchable, and had come out of the war no worse then they had entered it.

The Bulstrode family name had been cleared much in the same way as the Malfoy’s own had.

Duncan he didn’t know about but he suspected his story was much the same, hence why all three had been able to show their faces in Hogwarts again. He was about to make a sneering remark about the severe lack of Malfoy fans, when he realised that of course, he was no longer Malfoy’s enemy. Although he could easily change that.

The group of Slytherin’s before him quickly sorted themselves out and had just taken their seats when the train lurched forward, and they were under way.

“Oh for goodness sake there isn’t enough room on this bench for four of us, one of you will have to move over!” Malfoy snapped after a few minutes of squirming, that was immensely entertaining to Harry.

“Well I’m not sitting next to a mudblood!” Millicent said determinedly, followed by murmurs of agreement from the others.

“Oh for goodness sake, we lost the war you twats! As in none of that stuff is important anymore, at least not to the extent that you can’t sit next to one of them!” Malfoy snapped, making a great show of standing up, dusting himself off and stepping into Harry’s side of the compartment to sit down.

Harry smiled, “What a very admirable view you have there, however I must inform you that I am not muggleborn, and I would very much like to know why you are so certain that I am?” he said in the cultured accent Bennie had taught him to use.

“You’re wearing muggle clothing,” The quiet one named Duncan pointed out.

“Is that not acceptable here?” Harry asked.

“Generally muggle attire indicates muggle heritage.” Malfoy said with a sneer, as if the words ‘muggle’ and ‘heritage’ didn’t mix well in his opinion.

“Are you not from around ‘here’ then?” Blaise said disinterestedly, flicking a piece of dust from his trousers with a preoccupied air.

“No, I’m from Portugal.” Harry said.

“Where’s your accent then?” Malfoy said disbelievingly.

“My mother was Portuguese, my father was not, when she died my father preferred me to attend a school with other English children, I lost my accent.” Harry said carefully re-telling the story Bennie had made up for him.

“So what are you doing here then?” Duncan said.

“My father had to move us here because of reasons concerning his job, and he wanted me to have the best education, and Hogwarts is the best.”

“Right,” Said Malfoy, having gleaned all the information he wanted to, “So who do you reckon killed wonder boy?” he said to his friends.

Harry spent the remainder of the journey trying very hard not to laugh as the guesses got wilder and wilder as the train sped into Scotland, apparently the papers had revealed nothing of the circumstances surrounding his death save that he was killed in his muggle family’s home.

But as soon as the first glimpse of Hogwarts was sited, Harry’s attention turned to the upcoming sorting, which house would he be sorted into? And would he be able to fool Dumbledore with his new appearance?

***

Harry stepped delicately off the train, pulling his new school robes close about him for warmth.

The familiar cry of “Firs’ years” echoed across the platform and suddenly Harry was at a loss as to whether he was to join the first years on the boats across or get into one of the carriages.

“OY, OVER ‘ERE YOU! YOU’S TO BE GETTING’ INTER THE BOATS WITH THE FIRS’ YEARS!”

Hagrid’s words echoed loudly around the platform and Harry quickly scuttled over to him as a few people turned to see what the commotion was about.

‘Thank you Hagrid, a scene is what I wanted to avoid’, he thought as he stepped lightly into one of the boats as his trunk was taken from him to be sent to the castle some other way.

“Right, off we go then,” Hagrid said as he hefted himself into the boat next to Harry and the little crafts began to move of their own accord.

Harry was very tempted to ask Hagrid what was wrong, but if he did it would seem strange seeing as Hagrid didn’t know anything about Hallie Evanshire.

So he placated himself with, “Are you a teacher here at Hogwarts sir?”

“Yes, but that’s neither here nor there.” Hagrid said shortly, leaning across to the boat closest to them and saving one of the little ones from a close encounter with the lake.

“Is there something wrong?” He asked politely, deciding he’d ask the question anyway.

“In case it escaped your notice little lady, the world lost someone very dear about three weeks ago, I’d thank you to leave those of us who care to grieve in peace.” Hagrid said, withdrawing a rather large and grubby looking handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away a wayward tear.

Harry bit his lip, he had known that those close to him would be upset, but until now he hadn’t comprehended just how much it would affect them.

Silently the boats drifted under Hogwarts and into the little cave they were to be moored at. Equally silently the first years and Harry travelled up into the castle to be met by McGonnagol where she gave her first year’s speech and led them into the great hall.

The room was filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter just as it had been when he’d first walked up the very same aisle to be sorted for the first time, and when McGonnagol called for silence and the little ones began to be sorted, he looked about him with more interest.

The Gryffindor table looked to be a lot more subdued, he assumed because of his death as he couldn’t deny that most of the time he’d been well liked in his house. Hermione and Ron were practically sitting on top of each other and Hermione looked like she’d been crying.

Apart from that and the Slytherin table’s appalling lack of students the hall seemed to be very much the same, and Harry was glad for this.

“Hallie Evanshire.” McGonnagol called imperiously, and after the moment it took for Harry to recognise his new name, he picked his way through the little crowd of first years and went to stoop on the stool, where McGonnagol placed the hat on his head.

‘Well, well, well, what have we here? Are you not supposed to be dead Harry Potter, or is Dumbledore getting delusional in his old age and telling me lies?’

‘Yes I’m supposed to be dead, but I assure you I have good reason for pretending to be so, please I need your help to keep this a secret.’ Harry pleaded; this was one thing he and Bennie had completely overlooked in their scheming.

‘I can see the reasons you did this dear boy, and I see that they are good ones, therefore I shall endeavour to help you as much as I can. Now let me see, it would never do to put you back into Gryffindor of course, and although Slytherin need new members I think it is too late for you to gain anything from them. So it’ll have to be…’ “RAVENCLAW”

After quickly thanking the hat profusely and promising to visit it in Dumbledore’s office whenever he could, Harry leapt lightly down from the platform and beamingly went to take his place at the Ravenclaw table with the rest of the seventh years.

Dinner was a very amiable affair, of course the Ravenclaw’s were wary of him (or her) but he soon charmed a pretty girl with strawberry blond curls with his talk of the latest fashions. By the end of dinner he had half the table listening attentively to his made up life story, his love of shoes and anything else he cared to drop into the equation.

However this of course was soon cut short when Dumbledore arose to give his annual start of year speech.

“Welcome, my dear students to another year of Hogwarts. I hope you are all fed and watered to your hearts content, and I hope the first years are not too nervous about the upcoming year, for I promise it shall be most enjoyable.

As many of you, if not all of you, will have heard, a dear member of our little community lost his life three weeks ago, and no, despite what some of you were hoping I cannot shed any light on the circumstances of his death.” Here Dumbledore was seen to glance apologetically towards the Gryffindor table.

“He shall be greatly remembered for all that he did for the wizarding world and those of you that wish to pay your respects may do so by going to the lake whenever you wish. But for now let’s have a big hand for Mr Harry Potter, may he live on in our hearts.”

Harry tried desperately not to blush as he cringed in his seat, he wasn’t Harry Potter anymore, and he’d do well to remember it!

“I have several new members of staff to introduce to you, firstly Mr Remus Lupin, he is to once again join us as our defence against the dark arts teacher, any of you who have a problem with this will do well to remember the ‘humanitarian rights for werewolves act’ passed only a few weeks ago by the minister himself.”

As another round of applause went up Harry desperately tried to keep the look of horror from his face, Lupin would be able to smell his scent for sure! And if that happened all hell would break loose!

“Secondly Mr Lucius Malfoy will be joining us and taking up the recently vacant History of Magic teaching position, those of you were especially fond of Professor Binns need not worry as he is still to be found wondering about the staff room every now and again.”

No round of applause proceeded this announcement, and Harry was unsurprised as he tried desperately to quell the feelings of fear and hate.

Two more teachers were introduced but Harry took no heed to them, for suddenly his new found perfect world was precariously teetering on its axel, threatening to crash down around him. If he wanted to keep his new life undiscovered, he was going to have to do some serious thinking!

***

And once again no cliff hanger, I can’t promise that for the next chapter though. I hope all of you enjoyed it and if you have any queries or criticisms do not hesitate to review.

I hope to get the next chapter up a lot sooner than this one, indeed the plot is layed out and the first few pages written so as soon as it’s ready you shall be the first to view it.

However for those of you finding it hard to wait for chapters I can offer an alternative in the form of a story I wrote before this one. It involves a creature Harry instead of a cross-dressing Harry and a Vampire Severus instead of a dominating Lucius but I have been told it is quite good and it is finished. So for any of you, who are interested ‘Crimson Regret’ as it is entitled, can be found in my story list.

So a big thank you once again and I’ll see you all soon.

*Crimson Regret