A/N: It is a genderbent story where Harry Potter is a female. Written for the International Wizarding school Championship. I don't own Harry Potter; it solely belongs to J.K. Rowling!

A/N: 'Italics' is scene set up in the past.

School: Ilvermorny

Year: 5

Prompt: [Colour] Red - Main prompt

Theme: ROYAL AU

Word Count: 3000 (as of doc.x)

He picked up the neatly wrapped gift resting on his bedside table, holding it with great care, and making sure not to break or harm it by accident. The present might seem small and insignificant, but it was priceless, nonetheless. After all, the future Duchess of Gaunt and Queen Consort should get nothing but the best. Oh, how Marvolo longed to see his darling wearing this elegant piece of jewellery.

'His darling', Prince Marvolo's face was instantly lit up by a soft smile at the mere thought of her. Never in his life had he wanted or imagined of marrying someone, or settling down and starting a family of his own. Never had he anticipated to fall in love with someone, and that too, so hopelessly and passionately. The young woman, however, had entered Marvolo's life like a raging storm and thrown him away completely. She'd been unabashed in her views about everything, and even though had an unfiltered mouth at times, she wasn't afraid to speak her heart out.

He didn't know where she'd come from, or why the Potters had never referred to the fact that they had a daughter as well. Marvolo only knew that he'd never met anyone like her in his entire life. He'd been awestruck by her beauty, witty nature, confidence and kind-heartedness - he had finally found a woman who complimented his personality, and someone of equal stature.

Harriet Lillian Potter had all the qualities to become, not only his wife but also the future Dark Lady. She would rule the whole world beside Marvolo, and everyone will bow before them - the future king of Wizarding Britain would seemingly make sure of that.

Placing back the gift carefully, he started getting ready for the Gala tonight. It was Harriet's welcoming, as well as, her cousin Henry's coming of age party. It meant that there would be a long line of potential suitors in attendance too. That was something Marvolo wouldn't allow. Even the thought of her with someone else made the blood in his veins boil. He would offer a courtship proposal to her, tonight itself, making it official that Harrier was his, regardless of her lack of royal titles.

He checked himself one last time in the mirror, hoping she would like the present he'd selected for her. He would make sure to let her know, that she wasn't a passing fascination for him, or a means to strengthen his position further because of her connections to such an influential family. He wanted to let her know about his true feelings for her - that was why he was going such extreme measures to impress her.

Satisfied with his appearance, he picked up the invitation and apparated away to the Potter's castle in Port Issac.

The silence was eerie as Harriet walked further into the dark depths of the Forbidden Forest. Fear crept along the veins of her body, coiling around her heart and threading itself through her mind.

'Was surrendering and submitting herself to the Dark Lord a good idea?' That was the only question swirling in her mind. The answer came immediately, 'For the Dark Lord to fall and Light side to win, Harriet needed to die. That was the only way.'

He stood right in the heart of the creepy forest, an army of Death Eaters standing behind him, waiting like faithful dogs for his command. A grin formed on his snake-like face as Harriet came forward.

She felt shivers run down her spine as the red of his irises swept all along her body as if dissecting her piece by piece, and inch by inch. Harriet was ready though, her fate already been written years ago by Sybill Trelawney's perceptive words.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath when he raised his wand at her yet again, and no sooner, the green jet of light hit her like a thousand knives piercing and puncturing her heart, all at once.

She waited for the light at the end of the tunnel, for what like an eternity, but it never came. Her light seemed to be barred by some higher entity, until Harriet was forced to open her eyes again.

When she did open her eyes though, she didn't expect herself to be well alive and breathing in another dimension. That was almost six months ago, and Harriet was still confused as to how did she survive the Killing Curse yet again. She wanted to know if her sacrifice had let to Voldemort's downfall, in her own universe, or not. She couldn't, however, find the questions to her answers.

A hand on her shoulder halted the dark thoughts running through her head, and she was greeted by cousin Henry's warm hazel eyes. It was eerie how much he resembled her late father in so many ways - the same cheeky smile, the same mischievousness in his eyes, the same fierce nature to protect his loved ones. Then also, it wasn't very often and common to land up in a different world altogether.

"I see mother finally convinced you to wear a dress after all," he teased slightly, making Harriet chuckle. It was odd as to how quickly they'd bonded, making her wonder if this was what having siblings meant.

"Yeah, she did. Shed some tears too, to try and convince me," Harriet grumbled when the too long gown got stuck in her too uncomfortable heels. She hated dresses for they were never able to hide the nasty scars, and the black and blue bruises littering all across her body.

She hated the ball gown she was wearing for tonight's event in particular though. It was crimson red, with intricate flower designs and a sweetheart neckline, and hugged all her bodily curves in a very intimate way. Harriet had never looked or felt more beautiful in her entire life, but the colour of her dress, somehow made her feel queasy.

Seeing the red of the dress only brought bad memories on the forefront of her mind. It reminded her of the blood of thousands of innocents lost in a war that could have been avoided. It evoked her of the cold and malicious eyes of the Dark Lord, that haunted every breath she took and turned her life into a nightmare.

To Harriet Lillian Potter, red resembled not the Gryffindor courage inside of her, but everything she'd lost - from her childhood to her beloved ones.

"Hello! Lost in your own thoughts again?" Henry's voice again broke her inner monologue, making her look at him tiredly. The smile upon his face falling too, as soon as he saw a fake smile plastered up on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Harriet. It wasn't my intention to upset you," he apologised profusely. In the months Harriet had stayed with them, they knew that her past was too painful and something they couldn't even fathom. He moved forward, wrapping her in a gentle hug, and Harriet was proud of herself when she didn't flinch at the sudden contact. Henry reminded her of Ron and Hermione in the best of ways.

That was the scene, the Prince of Slytherin came to, as he entered the beautifully decorated enormous room. Seeing Harriet being so close to Henry, spiked his anger to levels he didn't know was possible. He moved forward swiftly, sending a hard glare in Henry's direction, and smirked inwardly when he saw the boy pale brilliantly under his intense gaze.

"I think mother's calling me, Harriet. I'll be back soon," Henry stuttered out, and without any further explanation, went in the other direction. Harriet got confused at the sudden change in demeanour and stood there dumbfoundedly, not knowing what to do now. She didn't know anyone here except her current family and the Blacks, but none of them was in her sight at the moment.

"Hello," Marvolo spoke lowly in her ears; all hot breath and whispers.

"Oh my God!" Harriet exclaimed, her hand resting on her chest in an attempt to calm her wildly beating heart. She saw the smug grin on Marvolo's face, wondering internally at how such a handsome person could have the potential of the monster she'd fought her entire life. His grin didn't falter in the least, telling Harriet that he'd gotten the exact reaction from her as he'd expected.

"Did I scare you?" He asked mockingly, moving into her personal face and making Harriet back off.

"No." Yes. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of being correct as always.

"Liar." His face was just inches from her, and she could read a playfulness in his eyes that she'd never witnessed in Voldemort's.

"You're thinking again. I can see the hesitation clearly in your eyes," Marvolo whispered, breaking her concentration and only then she realised that they were standing far too close to be considered formal. Harriet broke off their weird staring competition and made a horrible attempt at straightening the red gown making him sigh. Marvolo turned his attention when he heard the hurried steps coming in their direction.

He saw Duke James Potter along with his wife Duchess Estelle Black Potter making their way to greet him. He stood with a poker face while Harriet looked a bit out of place with the curtsey and formal greetings.

"Thank you for accepting our invitation, Your Highness Prince Slytherin. It means a lot that you graced us with your presence and agreed to join us in our celebrations," Estelle spoke in a firm tone.

"The pleasure's all mine, Madame. I was keenly looking forward to the event actually," Marvolo spoke looking at Harriet. James though didn't like the way His Majesty was looking at Harriet and tried to intervene, but Estelle seemed to be happy. She'd seen the way the duo interacted whenever they'd met, and daresay she was impressed when she saw how Harriet handled the proud Prince. It was clear that he was smitten by her completely.

"Your Highness..." James' voice was cut by Estelle's no sooner.

"James darling, I think we should address the other guests as well. I'm sure His Majesty wouldn't mind Harriet's company for a while." James' scowl was evident on his face. He didn't know why his wife was so casual with the Prince's obsession with their newest family member; he'll have to talk to her later.

"Not in the least, Madame. I find Harrie's company very interesting," Marvolo spoke with a little fondness in her voice. Harriet stared at him wide-eyed; it had a really long time someone had called him 'Harrie', and listening to the word from his mouth felt very personal. She saw James inhale sharply while Estelle grinned from ear to ear.

Marvolo offered her his arm; the slight pause in her actions and her body's rigid stance not going unnoticed by the Duke of Gaunt. He led her to the centre of the ballroom where some couples were already enjoying each other's presence, as slow music played in the background.

"Marvolo, I don't know how to dance," Harriet whispered clutching onto his arm tightly when she saw the heated glares thrown her way. She knew how much the witches envied her because of his interest in her, but it didn't matter at the moment. He stopped in his tracks, turning to look at her.

"What? Is there something on my face?" Harriet asked when she realised that he'd been staring at her too long, yet again.

"You've never called Marvolo before," he whispered as if in awe with the turn of events. She stared at him wide-eyed and tried to divert the topic, " Well, I think calling everyone with their fancy titles every time is plain stupid. That isn't the point though; I don't know how to dance."

"Don't worry, I got you," he chuckled lightly, and soon the duo started waltzing. Holding her close to himself, he breathed deeply in that rosy scent of hers, that'd bewitched his mind entirely.

"May I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" Harriet couldn't stop the blush from rising on her cheeks. From the time she'd entered into this weird world where everyone was too polite for their own tastes, Marvolo had not stopped in his attempts to woo and pursue Harriet. Even after being rejected so many times, he'd been very adamant.

On the other hand, Marvolo couldn't tear his eyes away from her. Red had never been his favourite colour. Red only reminded him of the dried blood seeping through his already dirty shirt and the beatings he got for fighting with other kids. It reminded him of the lonely child who could only wish to play at the swings but could not because he was a freak. It reminded him of the dark path he'd chosen years ago; one that was hard to redeem. Seeing Harriet in that red dress, however, ignited hope in his cold heart. She looked nothing less than a fierce goddess who'd graced the earth, just for him.

"Can I ask you something?" Harriet whispered.

"Anything."

"When you called me 'Harrie' earlier, why did James react that way?" There was an honest curiosity in her eyes, and he was surprised that she wasn't aware of such common rules.

"Only a witch's or woman's intended one and future husband is allowed to call her by nicknames, and that too isn't often in public. Only exceptions can be close family members calling her as such." Harriet's mouth was formed in an 'o' when the realisation hit her, and she looked at him dumbfoundedly.

Marvolo spun her around suddenly, catching her off-guard, and pressed her tightly against him, with her back to his chest. The only thought running through his mind was how perfectly her body fit with his.

Harriet's heart thundered monstrously, so hard that she was afraid it was going to rip off her chest; she was startled by the quick action. Her attention diverted when she saw him slipping a ring on her left ring-finger easily. She immediately recognised it as Marvolo Gaunt's ring - the one Voldemort had stolen from the Gaunt Shack and made into a Horcrux. She couldn't though, feel any of the dark or evil magic radiating off it. The ring seemed harmless, but precious nonetheless, because of Death's Stone embedded intricately in it.

She looked beside only to see Marvolo watching her closely. Harriet could him read like an open book, understand him better than anyone else, maybe even himself. That was the reason she was surprised when she saw fear in his warm brown eyes - the fear of rejection, and the fear of being left alone for the rest of his life. There was no hatred for her, no malicious intent unlike Voldemort's. There was only respect, love and warmth in them.

She wanted to ask him so many questions, but she was terrified to voice them out loud. It seemed he could read Harriet just as clearly.

"Never be afraid of me, darling. I don't ever want you, of all people, to be petrified of me," he whispered quietly. It felt as if they were the only two people left in the huge ballroom, and the others had faded in the background.

"I'm not a royal. I'm a nobody who's just entered this seemingly different world. You're their future king. Why do you want to marry me?"

Marvolo spun her around again and this time made sure she was looking him straight in the eye, "You're not a nobody. You're a powerful, strong, amazing woman who isn't afraid of standing up for what you believe is right, and certainly not when it comes to her loved ones. You're an exceptionally talented witch who respects Mother Magic, rather than judging them as 'Light' or 'Dark'. You're an honourable woman who treats everyone equally, and you're the only one who understands me. The others respect me because of my status, but call me 'evil' as soon as my back turns to them. You don't. You don't care about my wealth and position either. I don't see myself being happy or at peace with anyone else other than you."

He spoke with such conviction that Harriet believed him. It was startling of how much he reminded her of a boy she'd once known, and fell in love with until he'd betrayed her trust after knowing the truth. It was crazy really.

The man standing in front of her, however, wasn't Tom. He was Marvolo - one who'd been impressed when Harriet had thrown a nasty hex on him, and the one who'd sent her dozens of red roses in a stupid romantic gesture. He was the one who'd almost killed Duke Malfoy's son, Draco, only because he'd dared to flirt with her. He even accepted her suggestion and opened Magical Orphanages so that no child went through a childhood they'd endured.

He resembled Voldemort in so many ways, yet he wasn't the same, and it was clear by the next sentence he spoke, "If you wish otherwise, however, I'll leave you alone and never bother you again."

She waited anxiously, to see if all of this was just a dream. She waited if his handsome features would just wither off, morphing into the snake-like monster who'd destroyed her. It never happened.

Marvolo stood there, waiting for her decision, with bated breath. He was ready for her to slip the ring off and throw it away. It never happened.

Harriet laid her gently on his chest and finally letting go of the immense burden resting upon her shoulders - the guilt of losing the war, and the guilt of falling in love with someone who'd murdered her parents in another dimension. Marvolo shushed her when he heard her soft crying, not knowing what else to do, but promising to himself that he'd try everything in his power to keep her away from tears.

Red slowly seeped through the once brown eyes in happiness and triumph.