Chapter Text
She’s five when Dudley creates Athy Hunting, she runs as fast as she can, but it’s of no use the group of boys catch up with her in the end she’s black and blue by the end of the day, she vows to be faster next time, and she knows there’s a next time, because there always is, no matter how many times she begs.
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She’s seven when she stumbles into the library, she’s out of breath, and it was the middle of summer, Dudley and his gang had chased from the classroom and around school grounds till she spotted the safe haven, known as the library, she knows that Dudley and his gang would never go into the library, they probably wouldn’t know how to read, let alone know what a book is.
She wonders between the stacks of books at slow pace, until she stumbles upon a book of pagan rites, and while she reads, it’s the first time that she feels connected to something, besides the Narcissus flower on her shoulder and the elaborate family crest with an M on her hip, she reads until the bell startled her out of her reading, she ends up taking the book back to the Dursleys along with a book listing a bunch of pagan gods and goddess.
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She’s eleven and there are only three things that she is grateful for, learning French, learning how to do hair, and proper etiquette for a young lady, all of them she learnt from her Aunt Petunia, and Petunia learned them from her Stepmother, Athena’s Grandmother Gemma, so from the age of three and onwards, Petunia taught her French, she often said after a couple of glass of wine, that Grand-mére Delacour was the one who taught her and Lily how to do hair, etiquette and how to speak proper French, and if Athena gave Petunia more wine, she would let her look at her Grand-père Delacour journals along with the family tree.
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The first time she realised who her soulmates were, she was twelve and had just stepped through the opening to platform nine and three quarters, and her magic had tried to connect to her soulmates, but had failed, she felt as had her magic that their bond was already complete, Athena remembered feeling so confused and hurt.
She looked at the two regal blondes, Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy, if she remembered correctly, and started walking towards the train, with every step she felt the pain from the whip marks from Vernon, just as she walked past her soulmates she felt the magic from a nasty cutting curse fly towards Draco, her magic knew that he was her soulmates child, her instinct was to protect him, even if he was her age, Athena swiftly twisted on her heel and flung her hand out, and with it came a conjured fire version of Hedwig, Athena willed for no one to look at her and the Malfoys, the conjured fire owl flared grey as she collided with the Malfoys, Athena knew first hand that the fire will absorb all things fired at it.
The Potter witch felt like time had slowed as she felt the magic that tethered her to the Owl absorb the spell, before landing primly on Draco’s shoulder, as if nothing had just happened, before giving Athena a pointed stare, she was just about to unravel the magic holding the conjuration together when she felt someone shove past her, pushing her straight into the Malfoys.
“I’m so sorry!” the green-eyed witch mumbled as she moved away, she stepped away while looking up at the person she fell into, only to find Lucius Malfoy staring down at her, she felt the M on her hip heat up.
Athena was jolted from her staring contest by a warm hand landing on her shoulder, and a soft voice questioned if she was alright, “ I-I am fine, thank you Lady Malfoy,” the younger witch said while bowing her head in apologies, glancing up Athena found Draco and Lucius looking at Hedwig.
--
Narcissa and Lucius looked down at their little soulmate, both of the blondes’ eyes where trained on a stray curl of inky black that fell softly framing the younger witches face, they both watched in fascination as Athena realised that a stray curl was got and twist it back around the rest of her hair.
“it’s quite a nifty piece of magic you have their, Miss Potter,” Lucius said softly, eyes now looking down at the Owl made of fire, that rested primly on his sons’ shoulders.
Narcissa rolled her eyes at Lucius always interested in the magic, “Yes, it is, thank you, Dear, for protecting my son, Draco say thank you to Miss Potter,” she pushed the boy towards Athena softly.
“Thank you, Athena,” was mumbled before the train whistled, signalling to the last stragglers they should board the tarin.
Athena’s head twisted towards the train before mumbling a welcome and nodding back to her soulmates, before dispelling the conjured owl, and walking away.
Athena wondered how many times she would remake herself for others, would she remake herself into someone she cannot recognise, or will she always recognise the scared little girl with glowing eyes, made up of blood, sweat and tears, of bruised skin, silent screams, and lost innocence. she wonders if the version she was at twelve clutching a dagger in deathly still hands just like she did with the kitchen knives after one-to-many slips with the blade, and a wand in the other, as blood seeps out of her being, but she still faces the teenage version of her parents murder with an eerie gaze (or so she’s been told), and yet she also sees the gaze that lingers on steady fingers, burns and scars visible, lowlight highlighting the years upon years of scars.
She still wonders, as the years pass, and life turns darker, as she fights again and again for her life, and as she walks invisible to all, with a hollowness and wildlife surrendering her, if it was worth it, if the pain of living was worth it, to come to a singular moment in time when the fate of the world rest on her once again, and when she comes to a halt at the start of an opening, a figure standing deadly still, as she stands she swears she can still feel the snaping of bonds, even as the resurrection stone feels heavy in her hands, she sees the flicker of faces some long gone, some more recently, as she drops the stone, letting it fall it feels like an eternity before a dull sound is heard.
---- Flash back ----
She had felt the bonds snap at the start of the battle, weaving gold seeping away, leaving black ichor in its wake, magic consuming what used to connect her to her soulmates, faint flicker registers in her mind, Athena vaguely realises that spells are thrown her way, but her higher mental functions are pinpointing the flicker of magic tethering itself to her, it’s a mix of her soulmates, the world feels like it stops, just for a fraction, before coming back into focus as a shout demands her attention.
White, blonde hair, and grey eyes greet her from across the rubble they stand in, there’s at least a room between them, but she sees the magic linking them, a flickering silver, tainted with gold, she spots the moment he realises what he’s done, the spells come swiftly as a viper stalking prey, then its history repeating itself again, an owl flares to life before a Malfoy once more, an instinct left over from an ichor filled bond.
She feels the curse spell hit the owl once again, Déjà vu lingers around the ruins of the once magnificent castle, a nearly silent pop sounds around the crowded landscape, she apparats before him, portkey in hand, pleading words fall from her lips.
“Run, go live, be free.”
Before a replies is given, she’s whispering the activation word, and with a soft barely there pop, the last living Malfoy is gone.
---- Flash back ----
Athena takes a step towards the flickering fire light, it gives the clearing an eerie setting, she sees Hagrid tied to a tree, it’s a saddening sight, she watches as Bellatrix stands with a morose and regretful look resting on her face, Athena thinks to herself that Bellatrix feels the broken bonds of siblings.
Everything is silent till an older man with silver dusted hair enters the clearing, words falling from displeased lips, “No sign of the girl, my Lord.”
Breaths still, everyone in the clearing tenses waiting with bated breath for Voldemort’s reaction, a small nod is all that’s given from the unmoving Dark Lord, before he starts speaking, words spoken softly surround them, “I thought she would come. I was, it seems… mistaken.”
Athena heaves in a breath, before taking of her cloak shoving it into a pouch, hidden safely in her pocket, “ You weren’t,” she says equally as soft as the Dark lords previous words, she feels as all the eyes fall on her small form, tattered and blood soaked clothes, one of her soulmarks on display for all to see, its only Bellatrix that takes notice, of the grey Narcissus flower, resting innocently on her shoulder, the silence is disturbed by Hagrid yells, “Athy! No! What’re yeh doin ‘ere!” desperation leaks from his voice.
“Quiet!” Yaxley yells, before he flicks his wand at Hagrid and the Half giant slumps, further into the tree, falling silent.
Voldemort takes a step forward as flickering flames reflect off his pale skin making scales shimmer, he tilts his head to the side, before a smirk curls its way on his face, “Athena Potter, The Girl Who Lived, come to die.”
She stares into scarlet eyes, she can hear the hissed threats in Parsletounge from Nagini, as Voldemort raises his wonder Athena catches Bellatrix’s eyes, the older witch looks like she wants to take a step forward but stops herself, she feels the bolt of green hit her, then its black.
--
Athena lands in Grimmauld place, except now it’s all in shades of black and white, she turns around when she feels a presence, before a voice sounds around the drawing room.
“Hello, Mistress.”
She comes face to face with a person that she would call androgenous, if not genderless as their voice denotes, there was a hint of mirth and amusement on their slim face, that’s when it hit Athena what the being had called her, she muses about a falling stone, a hidden cloak, and a wand with glowing green.
“I suppose you’re death then?” Athena asks with raised brow.
“Sharp as ever, Mistress, Yes I am Death,” the Entity says with a curved smile on its face, Athena has felt its presence before.
“You’ve been following me,” she mutters as she looks around the study,” All my life, you have been a step behind me, I felt you, felt that magic that drips of you like shadowy water.”
“ I have been with you since that night in Godric’s Hollow, you are my fated Mistress, I cannot and will not take you,” it was said in a soft and comforting voice, one not unlike a parent or grandparent would use, she wondered if all those cold nights in a to small cupboard and a feeling of a guiding hand willing her magic, to create a heating, it was the being she had always felt.
“You have a choice, Mistress, the Horcrux that once lived in you is gone, you can end what others started, or go to the afterlife to be with the souls that call towards your own.”
Athena felt the need to end the war, maybe it was for the sake of her soulmate’s child, and thus for his soulmate,” and if I change my mind after going back to the land of the living?”
“As you said Mistress, I am always a step behind you.”
Athena watches as the study becomes bathed in darkness, and she finds herself once again back in the forbidden forest, she sees Bellatrix hovering over her, “ Is he alive, Draco?” is whispered franticly in her ear.
“Yes,” she replies to the older witch, she sees Bellatrix’s eyes soften, before she strategically drops the second portkey, “ Take it, she would have wanted you both safe,” she mutters softly almost inaudible, Bellatrix feigns checking for a heartbeat to get the Portkey.
“ The Girl, is she dead?” Athena hears Voldemort ask Bellatrix.
The Potter witch feels Bellatrix move away from her, before a yes, sounds around them, Athena hears the cheers as she closes her eyes, she hears as they untie Hagrid, making him walk over to her, she forces her body to flop as he picks her up, she feels how reverently he holds her, feels the tears that slip on her face.
--
She ignores the speech given, she ignores the cries of Professor McGonagall and the shout of her head of house, Flitwick always had a soft spot for her, she ignores everything till Voldemort finishes his speech.
She feels the world slow down as she falls from Hagrid’s arms, she lands on the ground with a silencing crunch, she stands up slowly as she hears her Voldemort move, she hears her name shouted by Bellatrix, she sees the shocked looks of anger and surprise as a she throws her wand, before waving the Portkey, Athena points at her visible soulmark before, she watches Bellatrix disappear, before hell broke loose.
--
Athena stands before Voldemort, she shoots a dark and deadly cutting cures at him, as he throws a Avada Kedavra, their spells connect just like they did in fourth year, the sounds of phoenixes around, and a golden dome surrounds them, it is only then when she remembers the phoenix feather that sits heavy on her finger sealed in her mother’s wedding ring.
In the end its her spell that hits him first, blood flies around them before she’s muttering the killing cures, it may be over kill, but he killed everyone she loved, including her soulmates with the stupid war, the sounds of cheers surround her, and just like that the War is over, and Athena can feel an ichor filled bond, it feels so empty, she feels so empty.
It’s a week later that everything becomes too much, she feels her magic slipping away, her ichor filled bond, devouring her whole, it all comes to an head on May 9th, Athena feels empty as she points the elder wand at herself, the tip lighting up with glowing green, she can feel the heaviness of the stone in her hand and the cloak surrounding her, before she finds herself falling, with the thought of being with her soulmates rattling in her mind.
“As you wish, Mistress.”