Before They Were Soldiers

Blaise Ookami

Story Summary:
Every story has a beginning. For the tale of the boy-who-lived, the beginning is not in the prophecy, but in the lives of a generation before him. The same generation James Potter, Lily Evans, Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, among many other figure-heads belonged to.

Before They Were Soldiers Prologue

Chapter Summary:
Every story has a beginning. For the tale of the boy-who-lived, the beginning is not in the prophecy, but in the lives of a generation before him. The same generation James Potter, Lily Evans, Peter Pettigrew, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, among many other figure-heads belonged to.
Posted:
08/09/2005
Hits:
867
Author's Note:
As this is my first uploaded fanfic, I beg you not to flame. Constructive Comments and Criticism, are, however, quite welcome.


Before They Were Soldiers: Prologue: Thirteen Years Before

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thirteen years before she sacrificed her life for another's, an auburn-haired girl shifted through her mailbox, eagerly looking for eleventh-birthday greetings.

"Bill, junk, junk, bill, more junk, another bill ... hey, a letter! On parchment? And how'd they know ... Might as well open it and find out. Here goes nothing.

'Dear Miss Evans,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to' -"

Green eyes widened suddenly.

"M-M-M-Mum!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thirteen years before his best friend would betray him, a boy with messy black hair bounced on his scarlet-and-gold covered bed.

"Just three more minutes until my birthday! Eleven long years I have been waiting and the day is finally almost here! Two minutes left, now. Wait, though, I mean - what if it never comes? Or worse, it does come, and then I'm sorted into Slyt - No, don't think like that, Potter! Pull yourself together, you'll be fine! You'll be great! Only one more minute. Think positive thoughts - like all the pranks I'll be able to pull! Oh, I can't wait! Is that - yes, it is, my letter!"

He slammed the window shut as his hazel eyes scanned the parchment.

"Woo-hoo!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thirteen years before he would turn against his master, an oily-haired child absorbed the information of dark curses, potions, and charms from the book he held in his lap.

"'While certain snake-summoning charms simply create a creature of the desired species (also commonly referred to as conjuring), others require the spell-caster to have a serpent already under their ownership. This -- '"

The boy's father had appeared in the doorway.

"Here," the father barked, tossing an envelope at his son and slamming the door behind him as he left.

"Time to put this book to use," the boy whispered softly to himself. "And time to get away from you, you overgrown bat."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thirteen years before he would be left to grieve alone, an amber-eyed werewolf cried softly by his mother.

"Hush, baby, it was only a dream, only a nightmare. You didn't hurt anyone, everyone is safe. Shhh ..."

"This is why I can't go there, Mum. I could hurt somebody. They could find out my secret, and everyone would hate me, and then they'd make me leave. I -"

His words were cut short by an elderly voice from the fireplace.

"Oh, I am quite certain we will be able to work something out, Mr. Lupin."

"If you say so."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thirteen years before he would be framed for the murders of those he once protected, a black-haired, blue-eyed preteen was being given a lecture.

"You will behave as a proper member of the Black family. You will not associate with those lesser than yourself unless absolutely necessary. If I hear you are performing poorly, I will ensure you will be punished severely, do you understand me?"

"Yes, Mum."

The boy bounced on his feet. He had been waiting, since the oldest of his cousins had received their own copy of the letter in his mother's hand, for this moment.

"Fidgeting about is unbecoming of one of your status. Now take this, and kindly leave my presence immediately."

"'Fidgeting about is unbecoming of one of your status.' Honestly, like I'm going to 'fidget' in public, or something. Aw, who cares, I don't have to see her until the holidays!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thirteen years before he turned on those he once held dear, a mousy-haired boy stared hesitantly at the seal on the letter in his hand.

"Okay, get a hold of yourself! It's just another letter. Grandpa Pettigrew told you all about it, and now ... and now I'm talking to myself. Fantastic. Here goes - three, two, and one."

His hand shook violently as he carefully unfolded the parchment. He sighed in relief.

"Now I just need to make it through the year intact."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Six accepted invitations later, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, along with the entire rest of the world, would never again be quite the same.


Author notes: Brownie points if you guessed the character within the first line of each section.

The rest of the chapters will be longer.

Until next time,
Blaise Zira Ookami

P.S. Spork!
P.P.S. (Inside joke, had to get that out of my system. Sorry.)