Chapter Text
This is where our story begins to deviate. Not entirely of course - because our characters are still the characters we know and love - this story won't change everything. Harry Potter grows up loved, but it doesn't change everything.
Even as it makes all the difference.
Now, onto our tale.
There is some discussion around the earliest dark wizards in Europe, but the general consensus agrees that Herpo the Foul - a pioneer in the field of Dark Arts - seems to fit the definition. He was one of the earliest known Dark Wizards, a Parselmouth who was the first known wizard to create the Basilisk, and also the first known wizard to create a Horcrux.
Herpo the Foul may be the earliest known Dark Wizard within Europe, but there's a whole world of magical history. And Harry's thankful his mum took them traveling when he and Henry were small. He doesn't remember all of the trips, but thankfully his Ma was adamant about the amount of pictures they took while traveling for his mum to study with top experts in the field of ancient studies, so he has seen plenty of pictures of their travels.
Egypt.
Rome.
Babylon.
Mesopotamia.
Looking back, his mum is obviously a Black (and a little bit crazy) for traveling all over the globe with two toddlers who were already showing signs of magic. Especially when his ma had to work and his mum was trying to study with experts with two accidental-magic-prone toddlers.
Harry may not remember each trip specifically, but he does remember the first time his mum tried to use a glamor on them. He remembers crying at the tingling sensation, fearing his mum wouldn't recognize him and he'd be lost.
But she removed the glamor quickly when both boys sobbed, pulling them into her arms to soothe them, promising she would always know her sons.
And that was the end of attempting a glamor on each boy.
He also remembers sneaking out of his bed when his ma returned and overhearing the glamor did not hide his scar. But he never heard his ma's reply because he was found and scooped into her arms, quickly finding himself snuggled in between his mums and easily fell back asleep in their embrace.
He loved when he could travel with both his mums. Back then, he didn't realize his ma only came because she was on a case - nor did he realize his mum would schedule these trips so she could be closer to his ma should anything happen to her.
At the time, he only knew they were learning about the succubus or djinn or when they were studying Phoenician or Aramaic runes.
They learned a lot of the world during their travels. Each magical country has their own unique history and way of approaching magic.
(And are also unique in how they share their magic with the rest of the world).
Britain, of course, has the Ministry. But not every country has a ministry. Some still have a magical monarchy.
Which is fascinating.
As the boys grew older, their trips became more infrequent. They could only travel when they were not in primary school, and if their ma was around they were obviously going to spend their time with her and not study inside the library of Alexandria.
Of course the muggles got that wrong; it's not gone, only hidden away.
But they still traveled when they could, and honestly it's a little weird that their friends don't travel and study in the same way.
In Britain, they try to prove how simple it is to know good versus evil. Dumbledore versus Voldemort. And Dumbledore and Grindelwald before that.
Merlin, Dumbledore really made a name for himself as the opposite of a villain, didn't he? Although this writer does hesitate to call him a hero - he is, after all, willing to sacrifice a child in the name of Good - will he be able to redeem himself before it's too late?
For Britain, it's as simple as those who practice the Dark Arts and those who defend against them. But most of the rest of the world sees the nuance Britain refuses to discuss.
Early in this story, we will focus on America, who for example, is not as easily impressed by the term villain. It can be difficult to determine who is a villain (at least for the moment).
Emma defeated The Dark One in her youth. A big bad so evil that it earned her the title of Savior. But one does not need to look too hard to find there is still evil lurking just beneath the surface. MACUSA is currently hunting a man named Gold and a being called Blue.
Because of course villains don't use names, only monikers. The Dark One. Gold. Blue. Voldemort. The Dark Lord. The list goes on.
Although magic in America is much more neutral than they make it seem in Britain.
Maybe it's their...openness...to magic.
There is, of course, the International Statute of Secrecy. Of course! But there is a reason the non-magical Americans believe just enough in magic to think it may exist.
American magic is a smokescreen. An elaborate one, but a smokescreen nonetheless.
These communities of witches (mostly witches, but some wizards as well) are integrated into the non-magical communities so well that you cannot tell where one ends and the other begins.
Most other countries outside of England have integrated magic and non-magic communities. It's really only Britain that pushes the separation so hard. Sure, other countries have Obliviation departments, but most other countries at least have the ability to say "Well, of COURSE magic is real" with an eye roll and the muggles shrug it off and move on with their day.
But America is - once again - in a league of their own when it comes to integration. While other countries have certain spaces where magical and non-magical people can co-exist peacefully. In America, anyone can buy voodoo dolls and visit apothecaries as easily as one can find a grocery store.
Every part of America has a history of magic, from the ones whose ancestors were there at the Creation, to those fleeing persecution in Europe and were not going to allow that to happen again.
In this story, we will meet Ruby RedWolf Lucas. Beloved aunt to Harry and Henry and Emma Swan's proclaimed "very first best friend". She, like Emma, was born and raised in America, specifically New England. But unlike Emma, Ruby was raised by her grandmother; she grew up knowing her heritage and the expectation of being magical.
She is not a werewolf in the same sense that Remus is - he was made to be a werewolf as a child by a monster enforcing a sort of punishment - Ruby was born a werewolf. An original werewolf, from one of the strongest werewolf tribes in the world. Born to a family that can trace their heritage back to the creation of Mother Earth. She's proud of her heritage (even if her mother nearly ruined it all by taking their pack to near-extinction because of her own hubris) because there is a long line of fierce matriarchs in her history and that's something to be proud of.
Ruby and others like her trace back to the beginning of time and can pull magic from the earth with ease. It is a part of American culture. It would be impossible to separate the two - magical and non-magical - because they have always been intertwined.
Before the colonizers ever arrived, bringing with them hidden-in-plain-sight witches fleeing persecution, America was already magical. And Harry can't wait to go back.