Summary:

Wizarding Britain descended into chaos and madness when a fire supposedly claimed the life of the cherished Girl-Who-Lived. Laws were changed. People took sides. Until a dhampir by the name of Krista turned up for her first year at Hogwarts School. This is her story—in a world that's gone mad. Cedric/Fem!Harry. Semi-dark fic. Fake prophecy.

Here it is, the rewrite of Different Beginnings. And due to some plot change; I've also changed the title to suit the mood of the story. Like before, this story will be quite AU due to extreme changes from canon. And honestly, I'm not really certain if I still want to stick to a 'siding with Voldemort fic' or still have him as the antagonist along with a vampire antagonist due to Krista (female Harry) being part vampire.

Like Different Beginnings, the pairing in this story will still be Cedric/Krista. I've never really liked all the discrimination towards dark and light in the books, and thus, Krista along with a few others will be on fairly neutral ground in the beginning. Unlike the previous version however, my characterisation of certain characters will be vastly different.

There will also be more influences of the vampire world in this story, and I'm writing it based off my own original novel, so it will be original elements, though there will also be slight elements from other books and movies incorporated in this story.

As a side note, there will be various name changes in this story, as when I've first written Different Beginnings, it was back in freaking 2009, so I tend to use more old-fashioned names due to me having just started my writing career. I'm modernising the names a bit here, due to having used some of the names in other stories. As for female Harry's name, I know that I've reused it quite a bit, but I'm clean out of ideas for names at this point.

Also, I'm quite aware that grammar isn't exactly my strongest point in English, and I've also quite given up on engaging a beta reader as the last one that I have didn't exactly impress me a lot.

Pairings: Cedric/Krista.

Warnings: AU Universe. Gender switch. OC characters. Some character bashing. Mature scenes. Violence.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

Chapter One: The Night's Servant

Maybe you should take some time off, was what Klaus had suggested. See the sights—see the human world. You need time to heal from Elise's death.

That was what Klaus had suggested nearly six years ago, and even now, six years after his older brother, his sister-in-law and even his father have shooed him out of Avalon, Ethan Nightray honestly doesn't even feel halfway healed.

It is like a part of you had disappeared or even died, Carmella Morgenstern, Ethan's childhood friend since he was barely out of his diapers had told him days before his Bonding and wedding to his then fiancée. You won't really feel…'right'.

And Carmella was right. It had been six years since his beloved's death, and Ethan still feels as if something is missing. It honestly didn't really help that Elise was pregnant at that time, and when those hunters have killed her, they've also killed their unborn child.

Ethan had nearly gone mad with grief at that time. If it hadn't been for his brother, father and sister-in-law along with Carmella, he really would have.

Honestly, Ethan doesn't really understand all the prejudice and contempt for the Hidden Circle—the Unseens, also sometimes known as the Downworlders.

The vampires. The fey. The faeries. The elves. The goblins. Basically, all the non-humans.

Ethan himself is one of them as well—younger brother to the High Prince of the Nightray vampire clan—one of the twelve vampire ruling clans over vampire kind.

After the last wizarding war that had dragged in the Hidden Circle (against their will!), the members and clans of the Hidden Circle have scattered and hidden themselves from the prying eyes of humans—mundane and wizard-like. As the magic and spells of the Hidden Circle were much more potent than the wizards of this day and age, it wasn't very difficult to do so.

Elise's death had hit Ethan hard—as her murder was one of those 'hunts' carried out during a time when the wizards hunt down and kill any Unseen that they could. Most members of the Hidden Circle were more than content to live in isolation away from humans. They don't wish to seek power and control, unlike contrary belief.

Thus, when the Wizarding War had broken out, the Hidden Circle somehow found themselves dragged in too. And it was all that the Ministry of Magic could do to make reparations towards them after the war, as the Seven High Warlocks—technically the members of the ruling council of the Hidden Circle were pissed.

While technically, it was the seven High Warlocks who made up the ruling council, the truth is that they rarely if never interferes in the affairs between the different clans. The only time they stepped in is when there's wizard interference. The different clans ruled themselves. They have their own laws and sacred creeds. And to the members of the Hidden Circle, their word is sacred. They always honour their own word.

The honour and word of a member of the Hidden Circle is sacred to them.

Something, like what Nikolai Nightray had told his sons scornfully once, the humans could do to learn.

Ethan sighed even as he walked down the streets of Privet Drive, almost cringing at the almost identical houses even as he walked. He is never really that comfortable in the mundane world, unlike those high-and-mighty wizards and witches. But like most of the Hidden Circle, he could blend in perfectly well.

As a noble vampire from one of the twelve vampire ruling clans, he is extremely good-looking with aristocratic features—with midnight black hair that reaches to the nape of his neck which frames his face perfectly and crimson red eyes. And despite being a little over two hundred years old, he could have passed off as a young man in his early twenties.

'Maybe I should just go home.' Ethan thought miserably to himself even as he left the residential district and wandered into the commercial district absently. 'I miss home. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I miss Klaus and Vivian too. And Carmella.'

His eyes then wandered onto a small bookstore tucked away neatly in a corner between a flower shop and a small eatery, and a small smile graced his face. Like most vampires, he might be extremely proficient in combat—it is in his blood after all, but Ethan also loves reading and learning new things.

There is only so much you could do when you're immortal after all.

The world is always advancing, and always learning. Unlike their wizarding counterparts in Great Britain who refuses to advance and thus remained stuck in the 16th century, the Hidden Circle is constantly advancing and learning to blend in, otherwise, the mundanes or some other human might have stumbled upon their existences by now.

"Welcome, can I help you with anything?" A young man maybe in his early to mid-twenties greeted from behind the counter as Ethan stepped into the shop, with a bell ringing somewhere above his head even as he pushed the door opened.

Ethan barely restrained a cringe, as his sensitive nose could smell all the years of dust and even the unmistakable smell of papers. "No, thank you. I'm just browsing." Ethan answered politely before he wandered off to the section labelled 'Literary'.

It has been a long time since he was engrossed in a good book after all. The last time was with his wife when they were both giggling over another of Ernest Hemingway's works. Ethan was almost engrossed in Hamlet when his vampire hearing caught the sound of the bells tinkling and the high voice of a little girl talking to the bookstore owner.

Out of curiosity, Ethan looked around the shelf that he is currently behind only to see the owner smiling at a small girl who looks about three, dressed in an oversized shirt nearly five times bigger than her and dark blue pants. Her feet was also bare, and Ethan narrowed his eyes, feeling his familiar temper slowly starting to bubble to the surface when his vampire sight caught the tell-tale signs of bruises on her arms and even bruises half-hidden beneath her oversized shirt. And by the hitches of breaths, Ethan could also wager that the little girl must have either hurt or broken some ribs.

Ethan isn't stupid. He had seen enough of the mundane world to know an abused child when he'd seen one. Though who in the world is inhumane enough to hurt a child this young? She had to be only about three, and she looks simply adorable with that dark auburn hair that just reaches to her earlobes and big round green eyes.

"Hello Kristina." The shop owner smiled down sadly at the little girl who is currently clutching a grocery bag that had to be heavier than her. "Back again, are you?"

The little girl beamed at the man and nodded. "I can't stay long this time," she said sadly. "But do you have anymore of Charles Dickens? I really liked his stories."

The man smiled sadly. "Of course." He reached to below the counter on his side and drew out a weather-beaten book that had 'The BFG' written across the cover. "This used to be one of my favourites." The little girl beamed as she reached out to take the book on her tippy toes before the bookstore owner narrowed his eyes and grasped Kristina's tiny hands, turning them over so that he could see the palms.

Ethan almost heard a silent furious roar in his ears as he saw what the store owner saw at the same time, and tightened his hold on the book in his hand.

Burns. And blisters.

Someone had deliberately burned that little girl's hands. Most likely on some stove or something, as a fire wouldn't do that. And those injuries are already starting to shown signs of infection which means that it must have happened sometime ago.

What in the name of the Morrigan is the mundane police even doing? Didn't anyone notice the signs of abuse?

"What happened?" The bookstore owner sounded furious as he stared down at those tiny hands. "Did they do this to you?"

Kristina flinched at the fury and tugged her tiny hands out of the man's grasp. "It's nothing. I just…burned myself on the stove," she said timidly. She flinched as she saw that the bookstore owner looked as if he's about to snap. "I-I got to go! I'll come again another day! Bye!"

And without even taking the book that she was offered earlier, the little redhead fled the shop, with the bell tinkling somewhere as she did. The bookstore owner cursed several expletives beneath his breath, muttering some death threats to someone called 'Dursley'.

"Excuse me!" Ethan finally made up his mind, walking over to the counter and placing the book in his hand before the still furious man. "I would like to get this."

The owner took several deep breaths to calm himself down before forcing a smile at Ethan and picking the book up. "Of course, sir," he said politely, but Ethan could see his hands shaking with fury.

"If I may ask, who was that little girl? And what happened?" Ethan asked, adding a mild compelling spell in his words to make the owner a little loose-tongued.

It is a skill of all the Night Children—being able to compel mortals to do their bidding. In an era before the time of the ministries and before the witches and wizards ruled themselves, the Hidden Circle need to have ways to protect themselves and make mortals forget what they've seen if they've stumbled across something that they shouldn't see.

"You caught that, huh?" The owner gave a sad smile as he made a show of flipping through the pages of the book to ensure that there isn't a missing page. "That child… Her name is Kristina. And despite how she looks, she is actually five."

Ethan's eyes widened. The girl looked to be about three, not five! And Kristina? He only knows of one fairly well known mortal with this name. Kristina Seraphina Potter. The cause of the Dark Lord Voldemort's fall.

Those high-and-mighty British wizards put their saviour with a bunch of child abusers?! Ethan could almost laugh at the irony. And how the hell wouldn't anyone notice the abuse? He could, and he had never even spoken to the girl!

"Her parents are dead." The owner continued talking, not meeting Ethan's eyes, but continuing to flip through the pages of the book. "It is the topic of this entire town when her aunt found her on her doorstep. I think Kristina's mother is her sister or something."

"And the abuse?" Ethan cringed when he realised that his words came out almost as a growl.

The owner's hand stilled. "…You saw, huh?" He sounded sad. "Lots of us actually knew about it, but we couldn't do anything." He held up one hand to stop Ethan when he saw that the vampire looked really angry. "People tried in the past. You know, try to get authorities to come in? Whenever that happens, Social Services would just proclaim everything fine or that it's just a mistake and leave. The more persistent ones that tried to get help would somehow mysteriously find themselves accused of some crime or find themselves unable to live here anymore."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. This entire story reeks of wizarding interference. To be exact, the Britain kind. And he knows who the hell is behind it!

And that is breaking the Laws of Neutrality—the Magna Carta that the Hidden Circle and the British Wizarding Community both signed with the monarch of Great Britain centuries ago! That none of them will interfere in the affairs of the other and vice-versa.

"My dad—before he'd passed away last year tried to help Kristina. But after my aunt tried getting the police involved, she found herself dismissed from her job as a teacher, and ended up being forced to move far away." The owner explained. "Before my aunt moved, she had warned my dad not to do anything further to involve the authorities. Better that we try to better Kristina's life in small ways than trying the big ones and ultimately failing. And that's what we do. But as you can see, it is never good enough." The owner sighed. "I just wish…that we can do something. Hell, adopt her. Anything! With the rate that the abuse is going, Kristina is going to end up dead before she is even old enough to attend secondary school!" He placed the book in a carrier before handing it to Ethan. "Fifteen pounds."

Ethan handed the necessary amount over, his mind working out a plan furiously. Call him whatever you wish. The Hidden Circle doesn't offer second chances—that is a fact. But one thing that they don't tolerate is child abuse. Children are cherished amongst the Hidden Circle, especially the vampires.

For immortals like the Hidden Circle, the females of their individual races don't get pregnant often. And when they do, it is often a cause for celebration. Hence why children are always cherished and protected. It is one reason why majority of the Hidden Circle aren't too fond of humans, as they don't really like how the humans treat their own children.

Ethan's older brother and father will have his head for whatever actions that he is about to take in the next couple of hours. But a child… He can't leave a child to get beaten to death by her own relatives.

"By the way, do you happen to know where…Kristina lives?" Ethan enquired.

The world will never be the same again.

XXXXXX

~Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Ministry of Magic~

"Take a seat, Lord Potter." Amelia Bones smiled at Charlus Potter as he sat across her, dressed in the regal robes of a lord. The years hadn't been kind to her former boss, with his once raven hair now streaked with gray and white. But the intensity in those hazel eyes is still there—exactly the same as when Amelia herself had been going through Auror training years ago, though now streaked with weariness. "What can I do for you?"

Charlus Potter looked at Amelia Bones.

The entire wizarding community—not just Britain but the world knew the enormous fuss that Lord Charlus Potter had kicked up four years ago when the Wizengamot had ruled in Albus fucking Dumbledore's favour, and had his only grandchild carted off to who-knows-where.

Amelia can't help but feel pity for her former boss. He was once one of the best Aurors there was on the force, and had even trained Mad-Eye Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Moody who never takes to anyone had respected Charlus Potter with the kind of respect that he reserves for no one else. Oh sure, he'd respected Amelia, Rufus and a small number of people, but none of them were given the same revere that Moody had given Charlus Potter.

Charlus Potter had also married the love of his life, Dorea Black—and that was a big surprise for everyone as the two were like fire and water throughout their Hogwarts years until they've started dating in sixth year.

Until Dorea had passed away when their son, James Potter was only in his sixth year in Hogwarts School. After James Potter's marriage to Lily Evans, the couple had made it a point to visit Charlus a few times each week. The visits increased when their daughter was born.

Charlus had doted on the child, and had spoiled her rotten. James Potter had often joked that his father will probably get the stars from the sky himself if he thought that it would make his grandchild smile. Charlus had also often brought his grandchild with him to the DMLE to visit his former protégés and colleagues.

At least until on that fateful Halloween night when Charlus had lost his son, his daughter-in-law and even his grandchild all in a single night. Sure, unlike James and Lily, Kristina is actually still alive, but it is both the Wizengamot and Albus Dumbledore that had kept the child from her only blood relation left.

Honestly, even Amelia had agreed that it is low. Moody too was disgusted with Dumbledore's actions when he actually had to comfort the angry grandfather when the Wizengamot had ruled in Dumbledore's favour—for little Kristina Potter to stay with her current guardians—whoever the hell they are.

Though another thing that had Charlus Potter on the warpath is the incarceration of Sirius Orion Black.

Amelia had even called in Moody and her Head Auror, Rufus Scrimgeour to sit in on her meeting with Charlus Potter when they've debated about Sirius' case.

And what had all four adults seeing red is that Sirius was chucked into Azkaban without a fucking trial by that senile Bagshot. Charlus actually had to head to Gringotts personally to get the goblins to unseal James and Lily's will to get the proof that Sirius had never betrayed his son and daughter-in-law.

And there the proof was written in black and white. James and Lily had stated who their Secret Keeper is, and it isn't Sirius like what the vast majority of Britain have believed.

So here Charlus Potter sit four years later, trying to get his adopted son freed and get custody of his precious grandchild.

"I want a trial set for Sirius." Charlus said simply.

Amelia merely looked surprised. "Not get custody of Kristina?" she enquired, as every single time whenever Charlus Potter entered her office, it is always for this reason. Amelia would have pitied Dumbledore if she didn't despise him so much for his actions in denying Charlus his only wish. Albus Dumbledore had made himself a fearsome enemy—and it is most likely one that he really couldn't afford to antagonise.

"Well, I want that too, but I think it's easier to get custody if I have Sirius on my side." Charlus admitted. The Potter family is an old and ancient house, second only to the Blacks after all. And with two of the Ancient Houses on the warpath, even the Wizengamot and Ministry combined can't refuse them. "And Amelia, you and I both know that the Ministry doesn't have a case to begin with! All the evidence speaks for itself! Sirius isn't their Secret Keeper! Pettigrew is! It is stated as much in James and Lily's will! And like I've mentioned before, Sirius is Kristina's godfather! He was named her godfather the magical way. I was there. I saw the vows take place." Charlus's voice shook. "Please… Don't take everything away from me." He pleaded. "Kristina… I just want her back."

"Calm down, Lord Potter." Amelia soothed even as she pushed a cup of tea laced with some Calming Draught towards the angry and distraught Potter lord. Magical Britain and Hogwarts combined is starting to feel the wrath of the angry Potter lord after Albus Dumbledore seemed to have left his brains somewhere between his home and Hogwarts by denying Charlus the custody of his granddaughter. "Before, we couldn't push for the trial for various reasons. I've been rallying for the support that I need to get this trial pushed through for four years now. And James and Lily's will is all the evidence that we need to get Sirius out of Azkaban."

"Amelia, can we get a trial for Sirius or not? Answer me." Charlus interrupted. "Yes or no?"

Amelia sighed before pulling out a bunch of parchments from the drawer within her desk and placed it before Charlus—a confirmation for a full trial to be held for Sirius Orion Black in Courtroom 10 tomorrow. She met the relieved Charlus' eyes and smirked.

"Yes."

XXXXXX

Number 4 Privet Drive.

That was the address that the man at the bookstore had given Ethan before he'd left the store, with his mind whirling with the story that the bookstore owner had told him.

The residential street was silent even as Ethan walked down the street with the near identical houses that it almost made him cringe. Back in Avalon, the hidden home of the Hidden Circle, nothing is ever identical. True, the different races have their own clan territories. But it feels safe to them—home. It is the one place where they don't have to hide.

Ethan looked up at the skies only to see that the sun is setting, casting a warm orange-red glow over the streets. It is almost nightfall. He wonders for a moment what he should do even as he walked past Number 8. Should he wait until midnight and 'kidnap' the child out of her bed? Maybe they will think she had run away—and honestly, considering that half the town knew that she's been abused, no one would bat an eye.

A frightened pained scream reaches Ethan's sensitive hearing just then—coming from Number 4, and he saw red.

Moving with incredible speed that no mortal should be capable of, he was before the door of Number 4 within moments and yanked the front door out of its doorframe easily. Rage consumed him almost immediately when he saw a large obese man who could really do with some weight loss programs whipping at the little girl whom he'd seen several hours ago with a belt that already had stains of blood visible on the buckle and leather. And from the looks of it, that belt was used as a regular torture device.

The little abused girl whom he'd seen was curled up in a ball on the ground—blood staining through her shirt, and she is clearly unconscious.

"Who the hell are you? Get out of my house!" The man shouted rudely at Ethan, lifting his arm once more to hit the girl once again.

Before the obese man could even move, Ethan had thrown him into the nearby wall, uncaring whether he'd broken anything, bending down and picking up the small girl into his arms. He frowned as the girl barely weighed anything at all! Now, Ethan might be stronger than the average human due to his status as a vampire, but this is ridiculous!

"Vernon!" A high-pitched nasal voice screeched that caused Ethan to cringe even as a woman with a face like that of a horse appeared in the doorway of what must be the kitchen—arms wrapped protectively around a obese boy who looks almost like a carbon copy of the man that he'd just thrown against a wall. "Leave my husband alone!"

Ethan frowned, examining the little girl in his arms, and he felt his blood boil even as his magic told him just what kind of injuries the girl had—and he isn't even a Healer. "Trust me on this, mundane, I would be out of here in a flash with this girl since it is obvious that you aren't fit to be her guardians." He sneered. "And you people call my kind monsters. You're more of a monster than we are!" His voice came out in an almost animalistic snarl.

Petunia Dursley shrunk back with her son, shaking, even as she felt her skin crawl with the same feeling that she always get whenever one of them is in her presence. "Y-You're one of them! You're one of those freaks!" she shrieked, pointing a shaking finger at him.

Ethan's eyes flashed an ominous red at that moment. He had quite enough of this family, and he had been around long enough to be able to smell the bad and good in people. And let's just say that there is a special place in Hell reserved for people like them from what he'd seen and smelt.

May Hades take no mercy on them.

"I normally abhor killing mundanes, especially children." Ethan sneered at Petunia and her obese son, lifting up his left hand even as bright blue flames surrounded it—and Petunia shrunk back in fear. "But I think I'll make a special exception today."

Occupants of literally nearly every house in Privet Drive were looking out of their windows curiously even as fire-fighters fought the raging fire that is raging within the house of Number Four. The flames were large and bright and angry—literally lighting up the night sky.

Arabella Figg stared in shock and horror across Number Four—standing in the yard of her little abode, surrounded by her numerous kneazle cats that were all yowling in discomfort and fear.

"How the hell did the fire start?" One confused policeman was asking the Chief Fire-Fighter even as the paramedics that were called were currently carting three charred and broken bodies to the ambulance—their faces grim.

"We have no idea." The fire-fighter admitted to the policeman. "According to witnesses, the fire just…flared up all of a sudden. By the time we got here, it was already raging like this." He waved his hand towards said house that is on fire. And curiously, the flames doesn't seem to be at the risk of spreading to the other houses even though with such a large fire like this, it just shouldn't be possible.

"Arson?"

"Not possible." The fire-fighter shook his head immediately. "Arson wouldn't spread this quickly.

"Any alive?"

"None. All the occupants are dead."

Arabella Figg felt her heart constrain itself even as she entered her house once again, tears streaming down her cheeks. Little Kristina Potter…dead?

One thing she does know however.

Shit is going to hit the fan.

XXXXXX

The first thing that Kristina Potter realised upon waking up is that she felt warmth. A kind of warmth that she had never felt before in her life—or if she did, she doesn't remember it in the least.

She felt protected. This warmth makes her feel safe. Protected.

If this is a dream, then she doesn't ever want to wake up.

There was a low chuckle above her just then, and her eyes snapped opened only to see a handsome black-haired man looking at her with gentle eyes, amusement visible in his visage. "I'm afraid it's no dream, child."

With a squeak, Kristina Potter leapt up only to wince as she felt as if red-hot daggers had just stabbed itself through her back. The man looked alarmed as he steadied her small body. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned. "Don't move so suddenly. It took me hours just to stop the bleeding."

Kristina looked at the man with tear-filled eyes. "Who are you? Why did you help me?" she whimpered, taking a look around her surroundings. It is an extremely nice room—looking almost like one of those executive suite hotel rooms that are always advertised on television.

"My name is Ethan. Ethan Nightray." The man introduced himself. "And for the love of Hecate, dear child, if I hadn't came when I did, your uncle would have beaten you to death!" His voice sounded angry, and Kristina flinched.

He sounds almost like how Uncle Greg at the bookstore had sounded before he'd passed away when he had found out what had happened. Big Brother Matt had sounded the same way too. Why are they all so concerned for her? She's a freak, isn't she? That's what Aunt Petunia always said.

Ethan hesitated as he saw the cowed expression on the child's face, with the small girl looking as if she'd expected him to hit her. The vampire coughed into his hand. "Okay, Krista. Let's try this again. My name's Ethan Nightray. I got you out of that house. And as for your relatives, let's just say that they won't be going near you ever again." An almost vindictive smirk appeared on his face.

Kristina blinked doe-like eyes at him. "'Krista'?" she echoed.

"Kristina is a little too grown-up name for a little girl." Ethan teased, poking her on the nose, and the girl pouted. "And it's a mouthful. Besides, 'Krista' kind of suits you."

Furthermore, Krista is also the short form for 'Kristina'.

"Krista…" Kristina repeated the name. Is it a nickname, like the one that Aunt Petunia had always given her cousin? She nodded her head, finding that she likes it. "I like it."

"Also…" Ethan hesitated before slowly and gently scooping up the little girl and sitting her on his lap—he'd long learned that abused children don't take well to sudden fast movements. "Tell me something, Krista. Do you believe in vampires?"

A/N: Originally, I was going to put in the meeting with the rest of the Nightray vampire clan along with a few of the others from the Hidden World in this chapter, but this chapter will be too long otherwise, and so, I've split it in half. You'll get the reactions of Krista's (she'll be known by this name from here onwards) 'death' the next chapter.

Additionally, I really can't decide between having this be a 'siding with Voldemort' story and create a complete new antagonist and new skirmishes or still have Voldemort as the antagonist along with a vampire antagonist. Help, peeps? And do you want Draco as a bestie or as an enemy of sorts?

So, what do you think of this rewritten story? Much more believable than the previous version? Anyway, I hope that you like this story and chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!