The Girl Who Lived

Prologue

The reign of the Dark Lord Voldemort felt like it wouldn't end. The First (official, not including the reign of Grindelwald) Wizarding War, led on the dark side by the Dark Lord himself, lasted from 1970 to 1981, eleven years of countless lives ruined and lost.

The light side, no matter how hard they tried, weren't exactly wining. It wasn't until the Headmaster of Hogwarts and Professor Dumbledore was interviewing a potential new professor for their Divination teacher, Sybill Trelawney, that a prophecy was revealed; one that signified hope and the potential for the light to win against Voldemort for good.

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark her as his equal, but she will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."

The prophecy, while only being partially heard, had been relayed back to Voldemort. He didn't know the full thing, but he was set on killing this girl prophesied to be his downfall before anything else could be done.

He knew it was entirely possible for a girl to kill him. Unlike some of the dark pure bloods that followed him, Voldemort knew not to underestimate a woman. After all, his most devoted and powerful follower was Bellatrix Lestrange, viewed as the most dangerous and sadistic of all the Death Eaters.

There had been quite a few contenders for who this girl could he, specifically, either the child birthed by the Longbottom's or the Potter's

Neville Longbottom was born on July 30th, 1980. Although his parents were Aurors that had 'trice defied' Voldemort like the prophecy stated, he was a male and therefore not the one fated to be his downfall.

The very next day at night, to the Potter's, the prophecy child was born.

Clara Lillian Potter was born on July 31st, 1980 to James Potter and Lily Potter (neé Evans), startling those who knew of the prophecy who had been praying that their child would be born a boy. The Potter's also hadn't had a daughter born in the family for generations, so it was a surprise to all.

Voldemort knew it had to be the spawn of the Potter's. Even if the Longbottom heir had been born a girl, there was no way it would be a pureblood. It was more poetic that it would be a half-blood witch who he could already sense would be connected to him and his powers in ways he had yet to understand.

It took months for Voldemort (after having his Death Eater's assist in tracking down the Potter's), before discovering their location. They were hiding in Godric's Hollow home under the Fidelius Charm, though he was able to get in as their Secret Keeper and friend for many years betrayed them.

He first killed James Potter, the devoted father and husband attempting to distract him before he was struck dead, before making his way up to the nursery. 

Then he killed Lily Potter, the protective and loving mother, who sacrificed herself in order to try and save her baby girl.

The Dark Lord had offered her an out, that she wouldn't die if she stepped aside, as a favor to one of his devoted followers who had cared about the muggle-born witch, but she refused to stand by and let her daughter die without trying to stop it.

Voldemort focused on the young infant, a baby girl with oddly bright green eyes and a little tuff of red hair who was starting to cry at the realization that something happened to her mother. The Dark Lord pointed his wand directly at the infant and easily spoke the killing curse spell, Avada Kedavra, and had expected that to be the end of the silly prophecy.

Fortunately for the young Clara Potter, Lily's sacrifice was a sacrificial protection, the result of her death creating a barrier of magic in protecting Clara from Voldemort. When the Dark Lord attempted to curse her, it bounced back and instead attacked the caster which obliterated Voldemort's physical form and his powers for years to come.

The only thing that stayed as a reminder of what had happened was a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on her forehead, the thing that would mark her as his equal as well as the sign of the only person to have ever survived the killing curse.

Circumstances fell to which Headmaster and Professor Dumbledore had her dropped off on the doorstep of her muggle maternal aunt, Petunia Dursley and her husband and child, to be cared for due to the blood wards that would protect the little girl.

However, nobody checked up on her through all the years that she was raised in the muggle home. Nobody really looked to make sure she was happy as well as safe. Nobody was privy to the fact that her room was in the small cupboard under the stairs, even though her cousin Dudley Dursley had two rooms for himself.

And so the girl who lived was raised in an abusive home, treated like a house elf, with no knowledge of magic or anything truthful about her parents, while the wizarding world worshiped her, thinking that she was safe where Dumbledore placed her, and everyone was eager to see the girl start at Hogwarts.