Light Shines Brightest In The Darkness

C1- If I Tried, Would It Make A Difference?

Light Shines Brightest In Darkness

-for Cara. Thank you.

July 31st 1980, Tempestas Lily Potter was born.

October 30th 1981, Tempest was found on the doorstep of 4 Privet Drive.

April 12th 1990, Tempest vanished.

September 1st 1994, The Marauders heir- the Girl-Who-Lived- the Chosen One... the fourteen-year-old girl still sprawled out asleep at 10:45am.

Minerva McGonagall rapped sharply on the door bearing the sign 'Either busy eating or sleeping. Go Away'. "Tempest! The train leaves in fifteen minutes, and I must leave for Hogwarts before you... Tempest!"

There was a muffled and annoyed groan, a thud and pattering footsteps towards the door, which then swung open. Tempest blinked at Minerva, her hair flattened against her skull on one side and sticking up in the oddest of ways on the other. "Whazzup Minnie?" she mumbled, her eyes still half closed, and leaning heavily against the door for support.

"Hogwarts Tempest! The train?" continued Minerva.

Tempest seemed to make a forced effort to keep her eyes open and mumbled out an incoherent reply before the door slammed and Minerva, shaking her head, went downstairs. Had she slept this much when she was fourteen?

Heidy, her house-elf was setting the table, humming as she did so, her blindingly bright towel pinned neatly around her. "Good morning Minerva, is there anything else you need?" squeaked the elf, her huge eyes blinking up at the woman.

"No thank you Heidy. But if Tempest isn't up in two minutes, please use whatever means necessary to make her ready for the train to Hogwarts. I need to leave."

Heidy grinned mischievously. "Of course Minerva, I will see to it."

After Heidy left, Minerva glanced upwards slightly as there was a succession or several more thuds in the general direction of where Tempest was. Her eyes twinkled as she imagined Tempest Potter, so different now from the small girl she'd found in the side alleyway behind a warehouse.

Minerva gave a quick smile as she remembered how exhausted Tempest had been when she arrived back home after the Quidditch World Cup, beaming and spouting tales of the players- Ireland and Bulgaria, although not a single word about the events after the Cup had escaped her lips.... Death eaters and the like. Speaking of that.... It would be several hours before the Hogwarts Express would reach Hogwarts, and she needed to talk to Albus.

~Y.-.Y~

Tempest cracked one eye open, then the other, and came face to face with a huge pair of luminous eyes. "Heidy!" she exclaimed, jumping up and struggling to comb down her messy hair.

"Mistress needs to go get ready for Hogwarts miss, Miss Minerva said so! You will be late if you wait any longer!" said Heidy seriously, her bat-like ears flapping.

Groaning, Tempest sat up from where she was sprawled sideways across her bed, and struggled to find her clothes. "Thanks Heidy... I'll be down in a sec... Have you got my Firebolt?"

Heidy nodded, "Yes mistress, Heidy has packed your trunk for you, Heidy knows how you is always forgetting... Please hurry miss Tempest." The elf's eyes were twinkling though, as she exited the room.

Still blinking like an owl, Tempest flung her legs over the edge of her bed, grinning at Nyx, her black tabby cat, who wound her way around Tempest's legs as she tried to find her shoes and socks.