Chapter Text
Prologue: Life-Lock
There are five stages of grief: Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. In her 13 years, Arennia Potter had worked through them all. That’s probably not the name you were expecting, was it? You were probably expecting a different Potter. Well, you’d be on the same page as the rest of the world.
When Albus Dumbledore advised the Potter’s of a prophecy which threatened the life of their future child, advising them to hide away, he never could have anticipated their actions, especially when they were blessed with not one, but two children. Twins, a rare gift in the magical world.
“Dumbledore wrote us again,” Lily stated, while James continued nursing the tea he’d been drinking since the birth of his children. An ineloquent grunt was the only response he provided. He had grown weary of Dumbledore's missives, especially as they only stirred trouble in his life.
“He thinks it very likely that the boy from the prophecy is ours or the Longbottom’s,” Lily continued, James’s brow furrowed.
“How does he know we have a boy?” He asked, glancing about the house, wondering if Dumbledore had placed some kind of device to stalk their day-to-day lives.
“I think he is assuming that we did. That only a boy could be the prophecy child.” Lily scoffed, then her eyes sharpened, “I don’t think he knows we had twins. I don’t think he knows about Arennia.”
James’s eyes narrowed, tea forgotten he made his way through the cottage, casting Revelio as he went, searching for anything out of place. When he returned to the kitchen Lily had already poured him a new cup.
“Even if he doesn’t know,” James started slowly, “it changes nothing. That maniac is still going to hunt us down. The only difference is now he will be aiming for both of our children. If anything, it makes us the larger target.” A bitter note crept into his voice. Damn prophecy. Damn Dark Lord. Hell, Damn Dumbledore...
“Not necessarily...” Lily hesitated. James nearly snapped his neck with how fast he turned to her. “I was reading the grimoire, and I think there is a way we can add extra protection beyond the Fidelius we have here.”
James’ did not like where the conversation was going. The family grimoire was questionable at best. Spells and potions to help and harm woven through. The Potters had dabbled in all sorts of magics, and whatever Lily could have found in its pages, whatever could protect better than a Fidelius, couldn’t possibly be on the Light side of the spectrum. However, if it could guarantee the lives of his family...
James sighed, already regretting his next words, barely above a whisper, “What did you find?”
“The Life Lock Ritual.”
There was a time when Arennia Potter could vaguely recall her mother. When she could remember cuddling with her twin in a bassinet. As time moved forward, those memories faded. Her Dad never spoke of her mother, and he never even mentioned a brother so of course she must have imagined it.
Then, the night before her 6th birthday, she overheard her Uncle and Dad talking. Perhaps talking is too simple a word. Rather, she overheard her Dad in tears, and her Uncle attempting to console him.
“I don’t understand, surely a condition has been met. He can’t possibly be hunting them still, Reg, he can’t!” Her Dad cried before sobs consumed his voice.
“We don’t know what is happening out there, James, but if we are still here we have to hope for the best,” her Uncle spoke, softly, as though he were speaking to a startled animal, “if the Life Lock has yet to fall, then I am sure your wife and son are still very much alive.”
As reassuring as he was trying to be, his words only worsened the sorrow James felt, the fear he had knotted in his gut.
As her Dad sobbed, a little Arennia backed away from the office door. Returning to her room. She didn’t understand what had made her larger-than-life Dad seem so... small. But she did understand one thing: she had never imagined having a brother. He was real. He was out there.