Harts Still Beating: A Canon-Divergent Potterverse AU
On October 3, 1981 Lord Voldemort went to Godric’s Hollow to murder the Potters and their infant son based on a prophecy that warned the boy might be destined to destroy him.
He never made it there.
Instead, just a few blocks away from the Potters’ house in Godric’s Hollow, the Dark Lord was betrayed and destroyed by two of his own Death Eaters: Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape. Thanks to the somewhat-unanticipated assistance of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, the two ex-Death Eaters were able to overcome the ambushed Voldemort with Malfoy casting the final Killing Curse that ended his war of terror and coincidentally established himself as the beloved blood-traitor hero of the Wizarding World.
Magical Britain has lived in peace since that day (or at least, since a few weeks after that day, when the last of Voldemort’s loyal Death Eaters were finally rounded up and shipped off to Azkaban to rot). But now, over a decade later, as the little boy who never had to face the Dark Lord from his crib enjoys his carefree adolescence at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, rumors are beginning to spread: rumors that Lucius Malfoy’s final curse may not have been entirely fatal.
Rumors that Voldemort might somehow rise again. But surely they are only rumors?
General Verse Background Details:
This verse was was originally created by myself and @teaspoonofginger for a roleplay game and is open both to new interactions here with Narcissa and for you to make use of for interactions with other characters on your own blogs if you like (although credit is of course appreciated).
The Malfoys were convinced to turn on the Dark Lord by Severus Snape, who warned them that Voldemort planned to kill all of the magical children who had been born that summer as detailed in the Prophecy he had overheard – including those born to his own loyal servants, like Draco. Willing to do anything to protect their son, Lucius and Narcissa begged Snape to help and he “reluctantly” agreed to back Lucius in a coup to secretly assassinate Voldemort and install Lucius (a wealthy, charismatic pure-blood, unlike the sulky Snape) in his place. Things didn’t quite turn out that way…
Having never been exposed as the traitor, Peter Pettigrew remains friends with the other three Marauders and Lily – but he knows he’s living on borrowed time and his secret could come out at any point…especially if Voldemort really is coming back…
The populace of the Wizarding World believes Lucius Malfoy to be either a hero or a blood-traitor (or both) depending on their personal beliefs. No one outside the family other than Severus knows that he meant to take Voldemort’s place rather than destroying the Death Eaters. Now requiring protection from their old allies, for their own safety they have to maintain that illusion…but Narcissa’s opinion of impurity has never changed.
In order to help sell the veracity of their “reformation,” the Malfoys reached out to the Tonkses and Narcissa effected a reconciliation with her lost sister. She isn’t sure whether or not Andromeda buys it, but she allowed Narcissa and her family into her life anyway – and it is nice having one sister around under any pretext. Bellatrix, of course, is barricaded in Azkaban and is surely convinced that both her sisters are blood-traitors now which means if she ever gets out, Narcissa’s life is surely forfeit.
Options for Potential Plotlines:
Is there still a troll in the bathroom their first year? Even if there is, would a Harry who grew up with a loving family be concerned enough about an outcast like know-it-all Hermione to go after her? Without that, would the three of them ever be friends?
The Chamber of Secrets would never have been re-opened, Lucius not being in a position to push for anti-Muggle laws...but the diary still exists, hidden in the manor. What if someone else found and used it -- someone like Barty Jr., perhaps? Or even Peter Pettigrew, driven to desperate acts by his fear of exposure?
Not allowed to openly hate Mudbloods, how would this Draco deal with his academic rivalry with the Gryffindor who keeps outscoring him? Maybe it’s better to keep your enemies close -- especially since his traditional friends probably hate this version of him for being a blood-traitor. Could an overture like that begin to lessen the tensions between Gryffindor and Slytherin -- and what might that lead to over time, for the school?
Which Death Eaters went to Azkaban in a world where Lucius Malfoy was winning prestige by turning-in his old friends, rather than spending money and influence to keep himself (and anyone riding his coattails) out of jail? Who didn’t get caught?
Interaction Notes: I am interested in both Marauders Era and Trio Era interactions in this verse.