This is a one shot of what would be the prologue of a story
Let me know if I should write a complete story or make a one shot book and continue it that way
Title: A Found Daughter
Setting: Pre-Hogwarts
The Pull of Magic
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The camper van hummed along the winding roads of rural America, the quiet of the night settling over the trio. James Potter, his eyes glinting with mischief, kept his hands firmly on the wheel. "This was the best idea, wasn't it?" he asked, casting a playful grin over at Lily, who was reading through a magical guidebook, her brow furrowed in concentration.
Lily looked up, a soft smile breaking through her focus. "I think it was a good idea," she responded warmly. "Though I'm starting to think the Wizarding World has found us even out here."
Sirius, lounging in the backseat with his boots propped up and a grin playing on his lips, chimed in, "We were never going to escape it completely. With us, trouble always finds a way."
James chuckled, his expression shifting into mock seriousness. "Trouble? Us? Never!" He glanced at Sirius through the rearview mirror, their eyes meeting in a moment of shared mischief.
The van rolled through the quiet countryside, but as they passed a series of dark, towering trees, the atmosphere shifted. The air seemed to crackle with energy, and the engine sputtered as though it were struggling to function.
"What the—?" James asked, his voice tense as the magical enhancements blinked erratically.
Lily's eyes narrowed, sensing a strange presence. "It's magic. Strong magic," she said, her intuition kicking in.
"What kind of magic?" Sirius asked, sitting up straight now, his playful demeanor replaced by concern.
"I don't know," Lily murmured, looking out the window. "But it's pulling us to it. We need to stop."
James nodded, his expression serious. "Alright, let's check it out." With no further discussion, they pulled over, stepping out of the van and following the pull into the surrounding woods.
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**The Clearing and the Baby**
They came upon a clearing bathed in the soft glow of the moon. In the center lay a newborn baby—no older than a few hours, swaddled in a pristine pink blanket. Her blonde tufts of hair shone beneath the moonlight, and her wide, blue eyes stared back at them.
Lily knelt beside the baby, her heart racing. The baby laughed in delight at her presence, causing some leaves to float around them. "She's magical," Lily whispered, feeling a surge of maternal instinct.
James bent down, his gaze softening as he took in the sight. "Who would leave her here?" he asked, a mix of anger and sadness in his voice.
Sirius stepped forward, gently brushing his fingers against the baby's cheek. "I don't know, but we can't leave her here, can we?" His voice held a protective tone, reflecting the bond he felt with both Lily and James.
"No," Lily whispered, cradling the baby in her arms. "She's ours now." The warmth of the baby against her chest filled her with a sense of purpose.
As they stood in the clearing, the weight of their discovery settled over them. James, Lily, and Sirius shared a bond that transcended ordinary love—a bond that was both beautiful and complicated. They were soulmates—two-thirds of a trio bound by magic and choice, with Sirius's role kept secret from the world.
"It feels like… fate, doesn't it?" James said, breaking the quiet, his voice tinged with wonder.
Sirius, his hands in his pockets, chuckled darkly. "Fate or madness. Either way, we can't turn back now."
Their collective memory flickered—of how they had come together long before discovering this lost child. The soul bond had crept up on them, undeniable after years of friendship, recognized in secret moments that no one else could see.
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**A Shared History**
The trio had grown closer after a prank was pulled on Snape during their sixth year at Hogwarts—a Marauder classic that ended in a dangerous confrontation. Snape, humiliated and furious, had retaliated with a curse meant to break the Marauders. The curse was a deeply personal attack on James, the leader, and its effects were tragic—Lily, unable to bear children due to the curse, had been devastated.
One evening in the Gryffindor common room, the weight of their shared grief hung in the air. "I can't believe this is our reality," Lily said, tears glistening in her eyes. "I wanted to be a mother."
James reached for her hand, his voice steady. "We'll find a way to create a family, Lily. Together. The three of us."
Sirius, sitting nearby, nodded vigorously. "We're in this together. Always."
After a year of trying for a child, they visited a healer and learned it was the curse that had cost them a biological child. James and Sirius made a vow to stick together, not just as friends, but as family.
They decided, after this loss, to form an even more permanent bond. James and Lily had always been in love, but Sirius was not just their friend; he was their other half. The three of them shared a connection that no one could quite explain, though they had to keep their bond secret from the world.
This bond wasn't just romantic; it was a promise that they would face everything together, no matter the cost. In their minds, there was no distinction between the three of them. They were family, and that was the most important thing.
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**The Decision to Adopt**
It was in a wild, spontaneous decision—after another brush with danger from an Order mission—that James, Lily, and Sirius decided to take a trip to Las Vegas. In the heat of the moment, they had been swept up by each other's love and frustration.
The result? A hasty, magical binding wedding that no one could have anticipated, but one that was, in its own way, more meaningful than any traditional ceremony. As they laughed and celebrated, their bond became formalized in a sense.
"No matter the hurdles we've faced—no matter the curse Snape had cast to retaliate for a prank gone wrong—we can handle whatever comes next," James had said, looking at both Lily and Sirius with determination.
"And what comes next?" Sirius asked, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Lily smiled, her heart swelling with love. "A family. We'll adopt. We'll create our own little corner of happiness."
With their memories shared and the magic of their bond renewed, the trio moved forward, determined to raise this child together. The ritual was simple but powerful, performed in their camper as they carefully chanted the ancient words. As the magic swirled, Emma's form shimmered with energy.
Her blonde hair darkened, turning jet black with soft strawberry-blonde highlights. Her blue eyes shifted, becoming a mix of Lily's vibrant green and Sirius's stormy gray. The transformation was profound, marking her as theirs in every sense. Their family was now complete, with Emma bound to them by magic and love.
James and Lily's hearts swelled with joy. Sirius's smile softened into something protective. "She's ours," he said softly, almost in disbelief. They had found their daughter, and now, nothing could tear their family apart.
---
**Tragic Turn of Events**
But their newfound happiness didn't last. On Halloween night, 1981, Voldemort attacked. James and Lily were murdered while trying to protect Emma.
The chaos unfolded in an instant. "Get to the back, Lily!" James shouted, his heart pounding as he faced the dark figure. "I'll handle this!"
As the curse flew, the world around them spun into darkness. In that moment, Sirius, somewhere far away, felt a gut-wrenching pain—a connection severed, a bond broken.
"James! Lily!" he shouted into the void, but the silence answered him with haunting finality.
Sirius was wrongfully accused of betraying the Potters and sent to Azkaban. "You have to believe me!" he pleaded with Dumbledore, desperation clawing at his throat. "I would never hurt them!"
But Dumbledore's eyes were filled with sorrow. "You must understand, Sirius. The evidence is overwhelming."
As he was taken away, Sirius's heart shattered. He was left alone, imprisoned in Azkaban, while Emma was sent to the Dursleys, a fate he could not prevent.
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**Emma's Time with the Dursleys**
Dumbledore, knowing the gravity of Emma's power, decided that her "safety" could only be ensured by hiding her from the magical world. He sent her to the Dursleys, her aunt and uncle, a Muggle family that would suppress her magic and keep her hidden from the Wizarding World and ignorant of magic. To the Dursleys, Emma was just an unwanted niece, someone to be ignored and neglected.
Emma's time with the Dursleys was cruel and isolating. Petunia Dursley, who had always resented her magical sister, Lily, took her in reluctantly. Emma's magic was suppressed, and she was treated with disdain. "You're just a burden," Petunia would sneer, her words cutting deep.
Though she was technically a part of the family, Emma always felt like an outsider in the Dursley household. Her magical heritage was unknown to her, but even amidst the neglect, she felt a flicker of magic inside her, a sense of being different.
As she grew older, around the time she was 6, the Dursleys put her in an orphanage. Emma moved through various foster homes for a year, bouncing from one to the next, never finding the connection she so desperately craved. Her magical abilities remained dormant, suppressed by her emotional neglect. Yet, deep within, Emma always felt that she was meant for something more.
At age 7, Emma Swan was adopted by Ingrid, the Snow Queen, who recognized Emma for her role as the Savior of the Enchanted Forest. Ingrid didn't train her in the usual way; instead, she believed Emma was destined to become something great. "You have a light in you, child," Ingrid would say, her voice soothing. "I can help you find it."
Ingrid kept Emma safe and cared for her, though she never told her the truth she believed to know of her heritage. Ingrid's care was the first time Emma had known love, but when Ingrid mysteriously disappeared just two years later, Emma was left alone once again, the warmth of their bond severed.
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**Emma's Awakening at Hogwarts**
On her 11th birthday, everything changed. Professor Pomona Sprout appeared at her foster home, holding two letters in her hand. Emma stared in shock as Sprout explained that she was a witch and had been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
It was a revelation that sent Emma's world spinning. For the first time, she understood what she was—what she had always been. But there was something else: her past, her true identity, would remain a mystery. She wasn't just any Muggle-born. She was the missing daughter of the Potters, though she didn't know that or her connection to the Blacks yet.
Alongside Emma's letter was another, addressed to Lilith, a girl Emma had met during her time on the streets. The two had formed an unbreakable bond, a sisterly connection forged by shared hardship. Together, they had supported each other, and now found themselves stepping into a new world, one where they would finally belong.
The first time Emma met Lilith had been when they were both around 9. Lilith had approached her, offering food, and in that simple act of kindness, Emma had found a bond that would shape her future. "I've got your back, Emma," Lilith said, her voice steady as they prepared for their journey to Diagon Alley. "We're in this together."
With their letters in hand, Emma and Lilith got ready to head to Diagon Alley, ready for a new chapter. Emma felt the weight of her past and the promise of her future. Her journey had only just begun. Together with Lilith, she was no longer the orphaned and abused girl from the Dursleys.
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To be continued?