Fic post - "Wish" - part of the "Not Synonymous" universe

[calic0cat]

Just a short little ficlet this time.



Title: Wish
Series: (Dark and Evil Are) Not Synonymous
Author: Calic0cat
Genre: Crossover, Drama, Angst
Story Pairing: None
Series Pairings: Xander/Spike, Giles/Ethan/Anyanka, Tara/Willow/Oz, Drusilla/Cordelia, Buffy/Riley, Angel(us)/Wes, Harry/Draco, possibly others
Rating: FRC (Fan Rated for Children)
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Neither the Hogwarts crew nor the Scoobies belong to me.
Website: http://www.calic0cat.net/

Author's Note: The "Not Synonymous" series is majorly AU for BtVS (events took a right turn at Albuquerque beginning sometime around "School Hard" in Season Two) & for HP (for reasons which will become obvious in a hurry). HP's timeline is shifted so that its Book One/Year One begins a year after BtVS Season Seven. Stories in the series are *not* being written in chronological order, nor do they necessarily need to be read in any particular order (though "Visit" actually does make a good starting point).

*************************

After centuries of experience as the vengeance demon responsible for neglected and abused children, there was very little that Halfrek had not seen. While certainly far from insignificant, this particular case was no worse than thousands of others and less severe than many; after all, this child's wish could still directly benefit the boy rather than simply provide the vengeance that would ease the passage of his spirit.

Assuming, of course, that she chose to expend the necessary effort and creativity on interpreting his wish. She rather thought that she might. Despite the nasty scar hiding beneath his tangled bangs, he was a cute little tyke, with his eyes of an unusually vivid green hue and his adorably tousled black hair.

Invisible to the human eye, Halfrek tilted her head and continued to watch thoughtfully as the brave little waif ran from the school bullies, doing his best to save himself even as he verbally wished to be somewhere else. His current internal wish, like other unspoken ones that Halfrek had picked up since she'd first sensed the distressed mental cries of this particular wronged child, was for someone to protect him the way that a classmate had been protected by an older brother a few days ago.

The silent wish that just *one* of his mother's relatives would love and care for him was a frequently recurring theme.

While Halfrek considered the situation, she sent magical queries out across the vengeance demon information network, seeking out options. By the time that the bullies finally cornered the boy and his innate magic kicked in, moving him to the school's roof, safely beyond the reach of his cousin and the others, she had reached a decision. This young human was much too powerful and too interesting to waste his wish with a superficial fulfilment.

Halfrek preferred to think of herself as a justice, not vengeance, demon. She genuinely appreciated a challenging wish that allowed her to act as both.

Sunnydale was 'somewhere else', which would fulfill the verbal wish.

Vengeance would be served by the boy's disappearance. It would both deprive his relatives of the allowance they'd been given for his care and sow consternation and panic in those who deserved to have vengeance visited upon them for their failure to ensure his safety and happiness.

Giving the boy a loving, loyal, fiercely protective sibling who was distantly related to his mother would satisfy his unspoken wish and would definitely qualify as justice.

And she rather thought that the neglectful, alcoholic parents and home on the Hellmouth suited the demon part of her job description. D'Hoffryn, her boss, should have no complaints; the wish's fulfilment would be appropriately double-edged.

"So, young one, you wish to be somewhere else?" the demon Halfrek murmured to herself. "Done." And Harry Potter of The-Closet-Under-The-Stairs, Number Four Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey, vanished.

Comments

[jilltanith.livejournal.com]

Thank you! So that's how Harry got away!

May we have some more, please? Like, the other end? Pretty please? ;)

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's how Harry got away. *grin* Courtesy of a certain vengeance justice demon.

I'm not sure which story will end up being ready for posting next. I don't think it will be the Sunnydale side of things, though; that one's not quite as far along as a couple of others.

[werewindle.livejournal.com]

I'm hooked. Very interesting, both this and the other. Can't wait for the next part.

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Glad it caught your interest! I'll be posting other stories in this universe every so often; I just can't guarantee how often or exactly when.

[(Anonymous)]

Okay, these two ficlets are too cool and it's only for you that I'm reading HP fics. Very original idea!! This is great! I look forward to seeing more!

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm glad that you enjoyed them. There will be more stories in this universe posted from time to time.

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

That answered my question of how Harry got away. So now Xander has a little brother? Excellent work.

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's how Harry got away and Xander ended up with a little brother. Now there's only about a hundred other little background details to be explained. *groans*

[yanagi-wa.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, each and every one of them will make a wonderful story. *makes chibi eyes* I really like this one.

Great Fic!

[mrpage8466.livejournal.com]

I love it! Can't wait for more.

Re: Great Fic!

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it! There will be more stories in this universe from time to time - no promises on exactly when, though.

[epona34.livejournal.com]

I love it!
Thanks for sharing.

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

Loved It!

[kelahnus1.livejournal.com]

Can't wait until the next installment is posted!

Re: Loved It!

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

[drgaellon]

So Harry Potter is now Evander James Harris?

Interesting treatment... I look forward to reading more.

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Yep, Harry is now Van. Glad you found it interesting; hopefully I'll have another story in this universe ready before too long.

[(Anonymous)]

I defintely like the concept and am looking forward to what age of xander you place harry with. Will it be pre-buffy w/lots of jesse & willow, or like dawn with the integrated memories. The only pairing I can't really see working are cordiela/dru. It will be interesting to see how long buffy &riley last.

[calic0cat.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked it! Harry/Van arrives in Xander's life during Buffy Season 2. There's a little bit of memory-modification involved - Harry's arrival wasn't completely unexpected - but everyone knows that he's Xander's distant cousin, not really his brother. I'm operating on the assumption that wishes only change what *must* be changed to make things happen, nothing more. Though there are a few tweaks that I've made to canon with regards to wishes (and to one Season 1 event and its repercussions) in order to make them a little more logical. In this universe, vengeance demon wishes can only be completely undone within a specific short time period, for example, something that wasn't specified in canon but I think makes sense.

Cordelia/Dru is definitely a bit unusual. Hopefully, enough glimpses of their interaction will show up in the various ficlets to show how/why they ended up together. As for Buffy/Riley... Well, let's just say that that particular pairing isn't exactly set in stone, though I don't have anything specific written to change it as of yet and I haven't completely made up my mind on whether it will change or not. There's some unresolved issues there and the characters haven't told me how they're going to work out, at least so far.