Chapter Text
November 14, 1981
Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Fear.
You could sense it amongst even the most bustling crowds.
It had been brought out and perpetuated by several years of unusual, unexplainable occurrences that had taken place all over England. The feeling was even more pronounced at night when one was walking home alone as they prayed nothing happened to them along the way. They didn't want to become one of the unprecedented amounts of reported missing people or lifeless bodies that had been found lying around in random places. Nor did they want to be one of the people who had dropped dead on crowded sidewalks in broad daylight.
There have been many attempts by the police to capture those responsible but to no avail. In most instances, questions have arisen on how the unfortunate victims died. Only a select few had wounds on their bodies or signs of medical complications that could help discern the cause. The majority seemed to be unharmed. Only the unsettling terror lingering on their still faces gave any clue to what had happened in the moments just before their demise. It was as if fear itself had killed them.
Government officials with surprising repose have attempted numerous times to calm everyone's worries. Their words started falling on deaf ears about a year ago. Too many people had died or disappeared for it all to be a mere coincidence. Many found it strange that no one had caught sight of the culprits, considering several murders happened in the middle of crowded sidewalks. A few conspiracy theorists went as far as to blame the government for their deaths, stating they were concealing something nefarious. Others believed that perhaps aliens were beginning to abduct people right and left and leaving their corpses everywhere. More level-headed people scoffed at both ideas, although they couldn't explain what was happening.
No matter the reason, everyone was in agreement that they desired nothing more but for it all to end. It was a time that would leave a lasting mark on those affected by the events that had transpired. Many would never be able to recover after losing a loved one. And many more would never be able to forget the collective fear that had taken root in everyone's hearts.
On this particular November night the sky was filled with impenetrable ominous clouds that obscured the moon from sight. Street lamps compensated for its loss by illuminating roads, parks, and the front of buildings all over the city. An eerie quiet had engulfed most of the metropolis. Only the creaking of branches whenever a fierce gust of wind blew against the trees or an occasional car driving down the roads pierced through the silence. Most of Liverpool's city life had long fizzled out, many already having retreated to their beds for the night.
On Turner Road, things were no different. Everything was quiet and still until two popping sounds reverberated from one of its dark alleyways. The noise was faint enough not to wake anyone living in the general vicinity. Albeit the sound would have startled someone that could have been near the entrance of the alley.
After a few moments, two men stepped out onto the well-lit sidewalk. They were a spectacle to behold in their strange robes.
One was a tall elderly man. His snow-white hair and beard were long enough to reach his hips and swayed in the wind. He wore an expensive-looking dark red velvet robe and a pointed hat of the same color on top of his head. Anyone could mistake him for an eccentric grandfather who had wandered off in the middle of the night if it wasn't for his striking blue eyes. They held wisdom and a perceivable purpose within them that said otherwise.
The second, much younger man, didn't seem so welcoming with his cold obsidian eyes and indifferent expression on his pale, sallow face. He had shoulder-length greasy hair that was as black as the darkest night and a pronounced hooked nose that made him look rather unattractive. Dark circles dusted the skin under his eyes, which were the only indication that something had been keeping him awake at night.
His black robes billowed behind him as he followed the older man and came to a stop to his right as his companion paused to look around.
Dozens of tall four-story flat-roofed apartment buildings went along the edges of the road, each connected by a party wall. The complexes were all uniform in appearance down to their red brick walls and short black metal gates positioned in front of the two windows on the first floor. Three windows lined the top three levels to let natural light into the flats during the day. Only the gold numbers on the white doors helped to discern one from another.
"It would appear Hagrid hasn't arrived yet," the elderly man stated, focusing his attention on an impressive brick structure located further down the road on a perpendicular street.
The building was a fine example of Victorian architecture from the Gothic Revival period. It had a distinct steeply pitched roof, pointed window and door arches, window dormers, and front roof gables. A delicate spire was located at the center of its dark shingled roof, and a tower hooked onto the front right corner of the building. Enormous windows went across the front of its lower four stories and several more poked up from the side of the roof for the fifth. The property was vast enough to have once been a large estate for someone within the aristocracy. A tall black iron fence surrounded the premises and separated it from the other buildings nearby.
"Are you sure it was prudent to send the child with him, Albus?" the younger man asked. "Surely, there are more reliable ways."
Albus glanced at him and gave a firm nod. "I am certain, Severus. I would trust Hagrid with my life as I entrusted Harry's to him not so long ago."
Severus stared for a moment, then nodded in acceptance. Although he still harboured doubts, there was nothing further he could say on the subject.
Albus reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a silver cigarette lighter. A click came from it as he opened the lid and pointed its tip at one of the street lamps around them. The odd action would have caused many to look at him in confusion, but Severus didn't appear to be disconcerted by it.
Then, moments later, the light from within the lamp flew into the lighter and disappeared without a trace, leaving the surrounding area shrouded in darkness. Albus repeated the same thing to the other lamps as they made their way towards the large structure that had become the older man's focus. By the time the two men reached it, the two streets were obscured by darkness where they intersected.
Droplets of rain began falling from the sky as they stopped in front of the gate entrance. A bolt of lightning came down from the clouds, illuminating the area for only a moment. Albus' eyes landed on words carved into the stone above the front wooden French doors of the property.
Bray's Children's Home
Neither man spoke as they stared at the orphanage, paying no heed to the rain as their clothes, skin, and hair became damp.
"It's a shame," Albus said, shattering the silence with regret laced in his voice. "I never thought I would be forced to send a child to an orphanage. If only we could have discovered a relative capable of taking her in."
"You know as well as I that we've exhausted all possible avenues," Severus stated. "There is nothing more we can do."
Albus nodded and gave a tired sigh. "If only her parents hadn't been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Fate can truly be a cruel mistress."
Deep rumbling from a car or motorbike pierced the quiet that had fallen between them. As the noise from the engine grew louder, they glanced up and down the two streets. Seeing nothing, they continued to look around as another bolt of lightning brightened up the area serving to further establish they were the only ones in the vicinity. When the noise became loud enough that the vehicle should have been noticeable, they looked up at the sky.
An oversized motorbike was descending towards the ground, poised to land on the street straight in front of them.
"Hagrid's finally arrived," Albus said.
When the motorbike touched down onto the wet pavement halfway up the road, the tires screeched from the impact. Severus and Albus watched in silence as the man steering it approached until he came to a stop in front of them. He turned off the lights and the roaring engine to prevent drawing further attention to themselves by anyone that might have woken from the noise.
Hagrid was a man of unusual size. He was at eye level with the two adult men standing next to him while sitting, and he was three times as wide. On closer inspection, even his boot-covered feet were as large as a medium-sized dog. His shaggy medium-length black hair and thick beard were soaked from the rain, while his torso was kept dry by the moleskin overcoat he wore. In his enormous left arm, he held a small pink bundle close to his chest. It only served to make his size all the more apparent.
"I presume the child is safe, Hagrid?" Albus asked, staring at the bundle.
"O' course, Headmaster," Hagrid replied, gazing down at the object in his arm with a look of softness in his dark brown eyes. "She's righ' here, safe an' sound. I tried ter keep her as dry as best I could."
Albus stepped towards him and took it out of Hagrid's arms. A baby girl with deep blue eyes and brown hair peered up at him from within with a tired expression on her pale face. She had tear stains on her rosy red cheeks and a distinct frown on her lips.
His expression softened as regret and pity flowed through him.
He knew she wasn't happy and couldn't fault her for being upset. She had lost both of her parents in an instant in an explosion that had killed many others. The same fate would have fallen upon her if they hadn't shielded her with their very own bodies to protect her. It was nothing short of a miracle that she was still alive. However, she didn't go unscathed. The situation had left her unable to have a single restful night's sleep, and she wanted nothing more than to see her parents. A simple request, and yet he was incapable of providing her with the comfort she desperately needed.
After investigating the incident, he and Severus worked tirelessly to locate one of her relatives. Albus wanted to do everything possible to prevent her from ending up in an orphanage. Unfortunately, they quickly came to realize there was no other option. She had no known surviving relations. Her parents had been orphans themselves.
With trepidation, he turned around to face the orphanage and stepped towards it.
Albus had taken extreme caution while choosing an orphanage to place her in. He had devoted countless hours observing those in charge to witness how they had treated the children under their care. The head caretaker at this particular orphanage was kinder than most. She treated them as if they were her own.
Nevertheless, a part of him feared what might become of her. Was he doing the right thing? Would she learn to understand love, or would she end up like a certain boy he had come to know? Was he condemning her to a terrible future by giving her away?
He had no choice. Victoria Staley was his last hope.
The hinges of the front gate creaked as he opened it and entered the property. Severus and Hagrid stayed behind and watched him as he walked up to the soaked front steps. Albus' pity-filled eyes were glued to the child in his arms while he approached them.
When he made it up to the doors at the top, Albus paused. His doubt still leading him to wonder if there was a better way. Knowing there wasn't, he steeled his resolve and crouched down to gently place her onto the porch.
"Goodbye, Emma Burke," Albus whispered as he pulled out an envelope and tucked it within her blanket to shelter it from the rain. "Good luck."
He gave her one last fleeting glance as she closed her eyes and finally fell asleep from exhaustion, then stood and walked away from her. When he made it through the gate, he took out his strange cigarette lighter and a stick.
"We'll meet you back at Hogwarts, Hagrid," Albus said. "Be careful on the way there."
"I will," Hagrid replied with a nod.
The engine of his motorbike roared back to life as he turned the ignition. When he pressed on the gas pedal and began to drive down the street, the ground shook as the sound of the rumbling engine reverberated against it.
Albus watched him until he was soaring through the sky, then turned his gaze over to the orphanage. He pointed his stick at the doorbell, and a burst of white light shot out from its tip and hit it. Someone turned on the light to one of the rooms on the bottom floor moments later.
Satisfied, he promptly opened the lid of the lighter with another click. The light it stole flew back into the lamps and began to illuminate the streets once more.
"Let's go, Severus."
Severus nodded.
And then the two men suddenly vanished without a trace.
Victoria's soft chocolate brown eyes shot open when the familiar sound of a doorbell reached her ears. A feeling of dread consumed her. It was never good when she heard the orphanage doorbell chime in the middle of the night. The reason was always the same.
She tore off her covers as she sat up and turned on the lamp next to her bed.
This time she planned to confront the person responsible, to stop them. She understood they had already thought over leaving the child at the front of the doorstep, but she felt it was better to talk with them about it. She wanted to help them and perhaps convince them there might be a better way to deal with their situation. A child deserved to be with their family, not inside an orphanage. Victoria believed the only exception to the rule was when a child needed protection. A rare case, but she had seen it happen.
With determination flowing through her, she stood up and rushed towards the door of her room as fast as she could. She didn't care that her shoulder-length blonde hair was a mess or that she was wearing only pajamas. Her appearance was of little consequence. It was more important to reach the front door of the orphanage before it was too late.
As she threw open her door and burst out of her room, the light from her lamp filled a section of the dark hallway she entered. It gave her just enough visibility to reach the front waiting room. She didn't bother turning on the light switch of the large room as she made her way over to the front doors of the orphanage.
Her heart was pounding inside her chest as she flung open the doors without hesitation.
The sight that greeted her made her heart stop.
There was a small sleeping baby girl all alone on the doorstep of the orphanage, becoming drenched from the rain. An envelope had been tucked inside of her blanket to keep it dry.
As quickly as Victoria could, she stepped over the child and ran towards the sidewalk. However, her desperate efforts to catch whoever dropped her off proved fruitless. It was too late. There was no one in sight.
A sigh escaped her lips as her shoulders slumped in defeat.
She wouldn't be able to find them now.
Victoria walked back over to the child at the top of the orphanage steps. A look of pity was on her face as she looked at the baby girl. It pained her heart to see such a vulnerable child on her doorstep, but she couldn't judge whoever had left her there. In her experience, there were many reasons someone would do it.
She crouched down and gently picked up the child to take her back to her room. Once she was back inside her quarters, she walked over to her bed and placed the sleeping child down in the center. She wouldn't want to risk her falling off the bed if she rolled over.
Another sigh escaped her lips as she looked at the envelope again. She carefully pulled it out from the blanket and saw two words written on the front of it she hadn't expected.
Victoria Staley
A perplexed expression appeared on her face as she stared at it.
It was strange to see her name on the front of the envelope. How would they know who she was? She didn't remember seeing anyone with a baby coming by recently. Why would they specifically write her a letter? Would it explain what was going on?
Unable to contain her curiosity, she quickly tore open the envelope to read the letter inside.
Dear Miss Victoria Staley,
It is with great sorrow that I must inform you that you have a new ward. I'm sure this has come as an unexpected and rather unpleasant surprise, given the sudden influx of new children being dropped off at your orphanage. Many have been negatively affected by the strange happenings all over England.
The little girl now in your care is Emma Amanda Burke. She was born on August 21, 1980, to Henry George Burke and Harriet Samantha Goodwin. Her parents were some of the unfortunate victims of the most recent gas leak in London.
What happened on that fateful day has deeply traumatized her. She finds it difficult to sleep. I would have given her to a family member if I could, but she has no living relatives on either side of her family. That is why I must rest my hopes in you.
I believe you are the only one qualified to take care of her. I have witnessed your interactions with the children under your care and know you have what it takes. You are the only person I can trust with her.
Please, take care of her and show her the love she deserves. I'm counting on you.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Victoria read the letter a second time to absorb all the information, then looked down at the sleeping child on her bed. Her heart, breaking for her.
She'd heard about the explosion that took place a couple of weeks ago. It created a massive crater in the street and killed twelve people when it happened. Emma was lucky to be alive. It was unfortunate Victoria couldn't say the same for her parents.
Life really could be cruel. It was hard to believe someone so small had already been through something so traumatic and heartbreaking.
"It looks like I have no other choice but to take you in," Victoria said to Emma softly. "You have nowhere else to go."
She gently moved Emma to the middle of the right side of her bed. Then, being as careful as possible to not wake her up, she gradually lowered herself onto the bed and covered both of them with the bedsheets. Her eyes never left her form as she rolled onto her side and stared at her.
"I'll make sure to take care of you just like Albus wants me to, I promise," she vowed.
Emma needed her, and Victoria planned to watch over her until the very end.