Summary: What happens if Harry Potter was Cinderella? and Severus Snape was his stepfather? Glass slippers, a stepbrother who's the size of a giant, and a fairy godmother (or shall I say father::hint! hint!::) with flaming red hair. Will this fairy tale end happily ever after? See if you can find out.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything...I wish I own them but I don't, so don't sue me. and if you do sue me, i'll counter-sue you...[is there any such thing as counter-sue?]
Author's Note: This is my very first fic. I am welcome to all reviews, flames, bashing and the sort. I really don't like my plot, to tell you the truth, but I wrote this thing just to try my skills at writing, but it turned out to be full of hogwash and nonsense, so I'm going to end this very long sentence right now and leave you be.
Chapter 1: The Infamous Invitation
Harry woke with a start on a beautiful morning when he heard his name.
"Harry! Harry wake up and cook breakfast. We're famished!" bellowed his very large stepbrother Vincent.
"All right, all right. I'm up already," answered Harry. He squinted through golden sunlight, pouring from his window. He lived up at the attic with all the dust and spiders. He quietly sat up and dressed in his rags. This is how his day started. He would cook for his so-called family and then afterwards, clean up after them. He would then feed the chickens, do the laundry, cook lunch and then clean the house until his arms wore out. He sometimes went out to the market and buy whatever his stepfather would ask and then return to cook their supper. ' What miserable life I have', thought Harry.
Harry grew up having only his loving mother. His father had died in a battle fighting for their country. "James Potter was courageous," his mother would always say to him. But things changed quite drastically for Harry because his mother remarried a slimy git named Severus Snape. He couldn't stop the marriage from happening because he only wanted his mother to be happy. It turned out that his stepfather had two sons already. He was quite ecstatic when he first found out, but to his great disappointment, it turned out that they were as nasty as and as ugly as their father was. His stepbrothers were Draco and Vincent Snape. Alas, disaster struck! His mother died because of an illness when he was 11, and from then on, he became a lowly servant working for his stepfather.
"Hurry up! You got up late today boy. Do you want to get beaten again?" remarked his stepfather maliciously as he started to cook some bacon.
"And try not to burn the bacon, Potter. It's bad as it is that you woke up late today, and I'll have to wait for my breakfast," Draco added.
"Well, you could be more helpful if you close your abnormally big mouth," replied Harry under his breath. He had always loathed Draco but tried not to let him get the better of him self. He bit his tongue when insults were thrown his way because he might do something that he might regret, like taking someone's eyes out of their sockets.
"What's that you said?" asked Draco suspiciously.
"Nothing. I was just commenting on how beautiful the morning is," quipped Harry.
After breakfast, when he was just about to clean the house, the doorbell rang. He opened it to find the Royal Messenger standing by the door, holding what looked like an envelope.
"Good morning! May you please give this letter over here to the head of the house."
"Certainly Sir," replied Harry as the Messenger handed over the letter.
"Thank you! That will be all." The Messenger then turned his back, went to the carriage and left.
'A letter from the Palace?,' Harry thought. 'Why would they send a letter? I should give this right away. It might be something important saying something like Vincent should learn the alphabet. If that's it, then it must be something really important.'
He then went to the study where his stepbrothers and stepfather stayed for the rest of the morning. He slowly made his way towards the study, and upon reaching it, knocked on the door.
"Come in," Severus bellowed angrily.
Harry opened the door gingerly, dreading that his stepfather might explode at the sight of him.
"Excuse me Stepfather," said Harry carefully.
"What is it? I told you not to disturb us! Can't you see we're busy?" his stepfather hissed.
"Sorry, but there's a letter from the Palace. It just came after breakfast." answered Harry as he gave the letter to his greasy-haired stepfather.
"Oh, is it from the Princess? Has she decided to marry me?" asked Draco hopefully.
"Quiet now, Draco. It's an invitation. How quaint. It reads:
" To the Snape household,
Greetings!
You are officially invited to her Royal Highness, the Princess's 18th Birthday. It will be held on Saturday, September 19. The venue, of course, will be at the palace. The party will start at around seven in the evening. It will be a Masquerade Party, so do wear the proper attire and that every male of your household attend (although the women are also invited). For the duration of the party, the Princess will also choose her groom-to-be. Therefore, the Princess and I hope that you would be present at the said occasion.
Thank you and have a marvelous day!
His Royal Highness,
King Albus Dumbledore"
"A party? This Saturday? Why it's wonderful Father! Do you s'pose she'll pick me?" Draco said excitedly, almost bouncing like a little child excited about opening a Christmas gift.
"Father, what's a party?" inquired Vincent, looking as dumbfounded as ever.
"Father, must I really go to my party?" asked Princess Hermione as she ate her breakfast that morning.
"Dear, we've already sent the invitations and everything, and besides, it wouldn't be your party if you weren't there. Could you please pass the rolls?" replied her father, King Albus.
"But must I really choose my groom to be? I mean I want to wait for the right time and such, and what if I don't find anyone this Saturday. I can go to the party but I don't know if I can choose anyone," she said as she passed the rolls to her father.
"You can choose someone. I have confidence in you. Almost every young man in this kingdom like you, and they'll probably like the idea of marrying a princess. You're coming of age, dear, and I am quite old already. I need to rest and go to a vacation in the Caribbean."
"But do you suppose that Draco will come? He's an insufferable git, you know. He's very arrogant and obnoxious," remarked Hermione heatedly.
"Oh, he'll come. I'm quite sure of that. I've invited their household, and I don't think he'd give up a opportunity like this to have you convinced that he's very charming, but then again, I'd do that also because you are very attractive and intelligent, and it's not just that. You're also a very loving daughter, who I'm sure would not disobey her father," stated the King amusingly.
"Oh stop it Father!," Hermione said, blushing a bit. " Okay, I would go to my little party, but on one condition," she replied.
"And what is that, may I ask?"
"Well, it's just that I want you to spend the day with me because you've been spending so much time looking after the people, signing things, ordering stuff and such. Basically doing your job as a king, which I suppose is expected of you and I–" Hermione became suddenly fascinated with her food.
"Hmmm. Well, we could go into town today and then afterwards, have a picnic down by the gardens. I haven't much to do today, and we could do the planning on your ball, you know," interrupted her father.
"What?!? Really? I mean we'd really spend the day together?" she stuttered as she looked up from her plate.
"Yes, I really mean it, and I think you should stop playing with your food and get ready because we're leaving in a few minutes," answered her father, grinning.
Hermione was actually smiling from ear to ear as she got up, hugged her father and ran out to her bedroom. She was so delighted. It had been a very long time since they've even went out together.
After cleaning up the house and feeding them lunch, Harry set off for the market to get things he needed for dinner. He was busy examining the potatoes, when he saw a huge crowd struggling to get a look at something or someone. He got pretty curious and joined the crowd. He asked a fellow beside him what the hubbub was all about.
"It's the King and Princess Hermione. Apparently, the Princess is going to the dressmaker's today. I don't know why she wouldn't just send the dressmaker to the palace, but then who's to complain," responded the stranger.
"Thanks" was all the Harry could say. He couldn't believe the Princess was here. He just needed to get close enough to see her. He pushed his way through the throngs of people and finally came up close to get a glimpse of her. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her. She was so beautiful. He couldn't muster up any words to describe how good looking she was. Her long hair cascading down her back, her golden– brown skin, and her hearty smile, which makes you want to just gape at her, like lovesick puppy. He was secretly wishing that she was his, but then he thought that that would never happen. A princess like her would want a dashing prince who would sweep her away from her feet.
As he watched the Princess, he remembered the invitation sent early that day. He asked his stepfather if he could accompany them since the invitation said that every male of the household, and he boldly told his stepfather that that included him. To his great surprise, Severus Snape agreed, but as all good things never last, there was a hitch. He should finish all his chores before the ball and that for the next two days he would obey whatever they– his stepbrothers included– order him to do, and if he ever mess up a single thing, he would be locked up in his room. And that particular thought reminded him to fetch the tailor, so that his pompous stepbrothers could pick their clothes for the ball.
He reluctantly went to buy what he needed and then made his way to the tailor's. After a few minutes, the tailor was with him and they were making their way to the house. Upon entering the house, he led the tailor to the sitting room and went to call his pretentious stepbrothers.
"Excuse me Draco, Vincent, but the tailor is waiting downstairs in the sitting room," stated Harry unenthusiastically.
"Give him something to eat and tell him we'll be down in a minute or so," replied Draco smugly. "Oh, and better take a bath, Potter. You smell like a skunk. When was the last time you took a decent bath?"
"Is that all?" said Harry through gritted teeth.
"That's all for now, Potter," Draco replied with relish.
"What kind of dress would you like, your Majesty?"
"I haven't decided yet, actually."
"Hmmm. How about this red one?"
"No, it's too red," replied Hermione.
"I know! This blue one would suit you fairly well."
"Yes! That's absolutely perfect," remarked Hermione as she examined the dress with intense excitement. The dress was bell– sleeved and high– waisted, with gold trims adorning the sleeve bottoms. It was beautifully made of velvet, and it was the color of the sky.
"I agree m'dear. It goes well on you. You will look exquisite in that dress," expressed her father.
"Why thank you Father! I'm positively excited about the ball. All those people will be coming just for me," answered Hermione with pure delight evident in her voice.
"Oh and I thought that you detest the idea of going to the ball on Saturday," quipped King Albus with amusement.
"And what gave you that idea, Father?" asked Hermione indignantly.
"Well, you asked me just this morning if you should really come to your ball. The exact words are 'Father, must I really come to my party?' " stated the king matter-of-factly.
Hermione scowled. Albus laughed at this and shepherded her out to the carriage.
"Thank you very much for your time," said the King whilst waving goodbye to the dressmaker.
"Yes, thank you for the dress. It's simply magnificent. Will I be seeing you and your family at the ball?" added Hermione as she sat in the carriage.
"Definitely, your Highness. My husband and I wouldn't miss it. Goodbye!" answered the dressmaker as the carriage set out for the palace.
It was the day of the Masquerade Ball, and Harry had just finished mending what he would wear for the night. It was very simple, yet comfortable. He would wear a green shirt and black breeches with his father's knee high boots. He was very excited that he finished his chores so fast that even he couldn't believe it. He was like the speed of light that morning. He woke up at dawn and fed the animals. Afterwards, he cooked breakfast and cleaned the house with a flourish. He didn't even mind when Draco insulted him at breakfast. Nothing would ever stop him from going to the Masquerade Ball.
Or so he thought.
When Harry was about to go down, he found himself unable to get out of his room. He twisted and turned the knob but to no avail. He was locked in. As he was about to kick the door open, he heard his stepfather and Draco outside his room talking.
"What did you do? Why'd you lock me in?" bellowed Harry angrily.
"What did we do? We did nothing. You ruined poor Draco's brand new jerkin. Ink is spilled all over it, and you're the one who handled it yesterday," retorted Severus acidly.
"I did nothing of the sort. Draco must be lying. When I gave him the jerkin, it was as clean as ever," answered Harry indignantly.
"Look, Father. He ruins my jerkin and now, he calls me a liar. He should be punished more than this," stated Draco maliciously.
"Yes, Draco. I agree with you wholeheartedly. You will stay here until the morrow, and you shan't have any meals for the next day. Did you hear me boy or do you want to be whipped again? I daresay, you should be happy with this punishment already. I could think of more, you know," he said. " Come now Draco or we'll be late for the Masquerade Ball. You don't want the Princess to be waiting, now do you?"
"Yes Father. We'll be terribly late because of this filth," replied Draco. They left Harry fuming in his room.
"How could I sneak out of this horrid place? I wish they'd just left me in an orphanage or something of the sort when Mother died. I'd probably be happy there, but no. They kept me. For what? They just made me a servant, a slave. I should have my inheritance, but they took it all away. I despise them. I loathe them with all my heart", thought Harry out loud, with scorn in his voice.
"Wow! You really hate them," said a hoarse voice.
"Who's there? Who are you? What are you doing here?" asked Harry as he looked around in his room for the owner of the voice. And as he glanced at his bed, he heard a small 'pop' somewhere to his right. He turned sideways, and to his surprise, saw a man, standing a few feet away from him. No, it was more like a boy his age wearing a dress like one worn by women friends of his stepfather. He couldn't believe his eyes. He was open-mouthed right now and as he realized this, he closed it right away. He was suppose to ask who the person was, but somehow that thought got lost on its way to his mouth and instead he asked "Why are you wearing a dress?"
"What are you talking about?" asked the boy as he glanced down. As he did this, comprehension dawned on him. "Oh! I wasn't suppose to be wearing that." As he said this to Harry, there was another 'pop' and his clothes changed to those worn by wizards. "There much better, isn't it?" Harry couldn't find his voice to answer so he just nodded his head.
"You must be wondering why I am here, so you need not ask any questions because I will tell you that right now." He paused for a while to gather his thoughts.
Before he could tell Harry anything, Harry asked, "Are you my fairy godmother?" And that snapped him out of his thoughts.
"No, because first, I'm not a woman so technically I'm not a godmother. Second, I'm not a fairy because I'm a wizard and I don't have wings. See?" The mysterious person turned around while saying this. "And lastly, I was just sent here. I'm sort of a substitute because your real godfather is somewhere I don't know in a place very far away," the boy added hastily as he saw the confused look on Harry's face.
"And by the way my name is Ron. Ron Weasley."
As he finished talking, Harry dropped to a dead faint.
Next Chapter: dundundundun...the Masquerade Ball
post script: Please review or else [am joking, i just need reviews to increase my self-image, or in other words, i just need reviews so I can boost my ever-so-enormous ego]....anyway, I am in dire need of a beta-reader, so those who want to, please email me...