Artificial Protector [Harry Potter OC/AU]

[Lucernello]

Oh, I didn't expect that. I thought he had Lynne acting as his assassin identifiable on purpose. Uncovered face and arms is to brazenly declare: It's fucking on bitches, I'm ready for round two.

Click to shrink...

While that could definitely be the case, he wasn't ready just yet to go after everyone. He was saved by the fact that they thought she was working under the Lestrange family in some weird way.

It was more along the lines reasoning to protect her organs from excessive force. Stuff like enchanted knives and pebbles used as bullets, and not specifically to prepare her for bullets precisely, but to physically harden her without magic being apparent. But I could also take the explanation that he doesn't know how to do that, or that the tech doesn't exist at this point in time to reinforce her internal organs.

Click to shrink...

Although its fiction I like to think it could be possibly done in a way the world is built in the first place. You have to remember that magic doesn't work well with most of the more recent muggle technology. Supposedly it doesn't work because the strong, unpredictable forces of magic interfere with the predictable, logical systems of electronics, causing them to malfunction or stop working entirely similar to an electromagnetic pulse. While some mechanical, non-electrical Muggle technologies can function, most modern technology is rendered useless in highly magical environments like Hogwarts, a place which she needs to be in order to function correctly. So working with both is a challenging endeavour, hardening organs and have them functioning still to an extent would need electronics or something similar. Something as advanced as that in late 1980s or 1990s wouldn't be small enough either to accommodate inside a body

For a brain to function it would need the lungs and the heart. She doesn't eat or gain nutrients from food or drinks so all the others are redundant yes. She can process foods and drinks though, she can taste, I would imagine it could be useful to identify poisons or things like that, but it would serve no other purpose really to have those organs, haha.

Anyway, I love to theorize and you brought an interesting conversation. Thank you. Tomorrow I will be posting the first chapter on year three and you shall know more.

 

[Honoa51]

Oh. It just occurred to me, but is Lynne's hybridization, and other attributes.

Dumbledore inclined his head. "Precisely. He also led the charge and successfully eradicated giants off the English isles. A mass genocide of the entire species, they left none alive." He finished solemnly.

Click to shrink...

Is she part giant? Is that what her magic resistance, strength, and healing is derived from?

I would have thought troll, but that would introduce the problems of being weak to fire and acid and are stupid. (Going by conventional troll lore) even if it gets her a much better magic resistance and regeneration than going the giant route. Werewolf introduces way more problems than it solves, as it erodes the mind. Unicorn hunting would get Thorne uber-cursed. Phoenixes are inaccessible. And Dragons are probably way more trouble than they're worth.

Is that spoilers?

For bulletproofing, I was just imagining something like a bulletproof sort of subdermal mesh. No electronics or anything. Skin like armor or reinforced vital organs. Possibly even as a natural part of her body. Minimum mechanical action. Or a living solution if that's too difficult. Passive warding spells on the scale of what hardens horcruxes against damage.

 

[Honoa51]

For a brain to function it would need the lungs and the heart.

Click to shrink...

Oh? So she's not directly oxygenating and clearing the byproducts via magic or some more optimized respiratory systems? The brain has no idea what organs it's connected to. Only that it needs blood, nutrients, oxygen, and to extract the byproducts for cleaning. So replacing them shouldn't be a problem as long as there's no arcane reason not to.

She can process foods and drinks though, she can taste, I would imagine it could be useful to identify poisons or things like that, but it would serve no other purpose really to have those organs, haha

Click to shrink...

So she's has a functioning digestive tract? That would make sense to keep her living organs functioning, even at a far reduced rate, since at most, she is operating on half of the body mass a human is made for. (She is only a torso and head if that), since she's got no arms or legs. So that probably drives down her caloric requirements, and lowers the burden on the spells that are substituting for those functions.

 

[Lucernello]

MP: Not every path will feel right beneath your feet, but each one teaches you how to recognize the ground that will, just as Luna was often seen as odd among her peers yet found strength and acceptance in the friends who valued her for exactly who she was. It just might take a little bit of time, hang in there.

AN: I will be posting weekly now, so expect a chapter every monday.
- Luce

---

Chapter 19 - Rogue

The Killing Curse obeyed her now, she finally got the spell down and how to trick magic with murderous intent. Feelings and memories of the spell had invaded her mind and it seems the other voice had seen the spell being used at one point.

Her master stood across from her in the dim-lit training chamber beneath the manor. His eyes, cold but proud, reflected the green residue still flickering on the stone behind her. She lowered her wand slowly, calm as her breathing was not even strained now.

"Sufficient." he said, approaching. "You are ready now, I'm proud of you."

She didn't answer as praise coming from her master was not sitting as well with her as it used to. Her newfound memories were messing with her mind and she couldn't feel prideful from being acknowledged by her master anymore.

He reached up, brushing a hand lightly against her jaw. "Keep the leaf secure. One lapse, and we have to start over. It would mess up our plans."

She gave a small nod. The mandrake leaf pressed flat against the roof of her mouth. She had not removed it since he gave it to her, and would not until the month ended. Her guardian had mapped the process precisely. By July's end, she would be an Animagus.

The moment Thorne turned away, she tapped the inside of her lip with her tongue, just to make sure. She knew she made no mistakes but somehow feelings were making her mind unstable and doubtful of herself at times. With many instructions she found that she would double check almost unconsciously now.

Trying to settle her thoughts, she focused on the other important constant in her life, her friend Harry. He had been looking at her differently as he grew more observant. He asked more questions and voiced his thoughts more often. It seemed he was worried about her and she wasn't able to calm his worries yet.

She entered the manor kitchen, trailing the scent of herbs and oil. Harry was already there, cross-legged on a high stool, flipping through the Prophet with exaggerated interest.

"Good morning." she said.

He looked up sharply. "You're early. Zicky hasn't made anything yet."

"I wanted to try toast."

"Oh? That's new."

He had started asking why she started eating meals with him even though she didn't need to, and overall about her many changes over this couple of months. He voiced his suspicion about another entity that was taking control of her and she was surprised that he got close to what was really going on.

She had not lied, of course, she couldn't. But omission was beginning to taste the same and the consequences of lying would be quite severe for her so she knew she couldn't keep the truth from him for much longer. She gave him a small shrug and pulled the plate toward her. Zicky was already there setting the table swiftly and toast was placed on her plate soon. The butter smelled sharp and creamy and when she bit into the bread, it crackled between her teeth. The sensation, although mundane and unnecessary, pleased her. Somewhere in her memory, someone else used to love the taste of burnt edges.

She finished eating before he finished staring.

"You're not acting like yourself, again." he said finally.

She was not surprised to hear that, as she herself knew that for a fact as well, her breathing did not change as she looked at him, deciding what to answer carefully.

"Yes, I suppose you are right. I'm remembering things." she said softly.

He blinked. "What kind of things?"

"Memories that aren't mine, along with feelings and reactions I don't recognize. They… they belong to someone else. Someone who is part of me."

Harry frowned, putting the newspaper down. "You mean like… a past life?"

"No. Not exactly. I told you I was built. I was to be something better, built into this body, to keep someone else from dying. But things didn't go exactly as my master wanted and although he perfected it better than others, two souls went inside this body by accident."

He didn't speak for a moment. Then, almost too quietly: "How is that possible?"

"It is possible through a ritual, although the risks are too high. You have seen the other person take control of me."

"Yes, we thought you were being possessed or something."

"Not quite. Now the other person's memories and feelings are merging with me and when that happens I will know more of what occurred. Until then, I'm experiencing new things at the moment."

"Will you be okay?" He asked.

"I don't know yet." she said. "When I remember everything, I'll tell you."

He nodded once, solemn. "Alright. I'll wait."

She stood. The heaviness of the conversation lingered in the room like mist. She didn't want it there.

"Come flying with me." she said.

"Now?"

"Yes."

With a short nod they headed to the backyard of the manor with their brooms ready. As they ascended, the wind pulled at her sleeves as she rose above the treetops. Harry was already ahead, spiraling lazily toward the hills, laughing as he dipped just low enough to skim the water's edge.

They had expanded the wards around the manor for them to fly more freely after last summer's encounter with the rogue house-elf. Lynne's broom hummed beneath her fingers, but her thoughts moved faster than the wind.

Flying had always been mechanical to her, something done for practicality, speed, position and traveling. But now, thoughts and feelings were driving her movements. The feel of cold air against her cheeks, the tilt of gravity pulling against the arc of her body were all assaulting her mind as if they were new experiences. She finally smiled, having forgotten about their earlier conversation.

Harry flew beside her again. "You look lighter up here."

"It feels nice." she admitted.

"Of course it does."

She turned her head slightly. His hair was wind-wild, his eyes alight.

"How about a little race?" she asked, smirking.

"You are going to lose." Said Harry with a smug on his face.
​

---

It was past midnight when Harry turned to her with a look that was neither sleepy nor curious.

"I have noticed you are talking funny." he mumbled from his bed. "At first I thought it was related to the other you… but now it just sounds like you've got something in your mouth."

She had been sitting by the window, watching the moon through the faint shimmer of the manor's wards.

"That's because I do have something in my mouth." she answered without turning. "A mandrake leaf."

Harry sat up slightly. "You're chewing something all day and night?"

"I'm not chewing it. I'm holding it under my tongue. It has to stay there for a month, untouched, day and night."

"For what?"

"I'm becoming an Animagus."

She had tried avoiding talking about it with him. Her master didn't say anything regarding keeping it secret but it still felt that it was not something that Harry should know yet. Her friend, though, was becoming a little too observant lately and she knew there was nothing she could do to avoid keeping quiet about it.

Harry blinked. "Wait. Seriously?"

"Yes."

He leaned over the edge of the bed, arms crossed on his knees. "You can just decide that?"

"No. It's one of the most difficult magical rituals known. But my master has… experience. He's monitoring my progress carefully. It will be complete by the end of the month. Also we are not going to register at the ministry so what we are doing is illegal. It's a secret and you mustn't tell anyone, Harry."

His eyes narrowed, not in judgment, but in consideration. After a few moments he broke the silence.

"Why are you not going to register?"

"To have an advantage over our enemies, Harry. You know Voldemort is not dead yet, if our enemies do not know about it, it could catch them by surprise."

"Could I do it?" he asked.

She turned then, just enough to meet his gaze.

"You want to?"

"I don't know… Maybe? It sounds kind of amazing."

She nodded. "I'll ask my master. If he agrees, I'll help you."

Harry grinned and collapsed back onto his pillow with the kind of satisfaction that came only from the possibility of doing something dangerous and forbidden. His eyes closed quickly, breathing slowing, his frame relaxing into sleep.
​

---

Lynne remained still as she waited for the rhythm of his breath to settle completely, then crossed the room in silence. She sat carefully on the edge of his bed, hands folded in her lap.

In sleep, his face looked younger than usual, his usual frown gone, replaced by serenity. There was nothing defensive in him, she liked watching him sleep because of that. She was feeling quite happy with her friend lately. She knew he still trusted her, even as she changed with her newfound memories and feelings.

She reached out but stopped short of touching his hand as a memory surfaced. The sensation of a small, calloused hand held tightly in another's, walking hand in hand. Then another that felt like soft hands caressing hers. Lynne pulled her hand back feeling conflicted.

The next morning, Thorne met her in the lower corridor of the manor. She had been down there before sunrise, tracing her wand silently in practiced motions. She did not know what he would ask of her next, but she was ready. He wasted no time on making his motives known.

"I have a mission for you. You're to discredit Gilderoy Lockhart and possibly make him face justice for his crimes, at least destroy his reputation."

She raised an eyebrow. "I don't see how he would even be competent enough to commit a crime."

"You would be surprised. He's been lying for years, stealing stories and modifying memories illegally so that he can sell his books and himself as a brave adventurer and great wizard. He probably wouldn't return to Hogwarts either way, he is not a complete fool after all, he knows his teaching was horrendous. But I won't leave that to fate, on the other hand we want that seat at Hogwarts empty as it could belong to someone else. Someone I've prepared, gaining us another foot on Hogwarts. I want him exposed and removed."

She said nothing as Thorne explained what information she was to find, how to infiltrate his property and which people to visit to recover testimony of what really happened. There were ways to reverse memory charms after all, even if difficult.

"When you have the evidence, I want you to start leaking the truth to the Prophet. Discreetly. This will turn into a scandal quickly and will see him promptly off the position at Hogwarts."

She nodded once. "I will use your contact then, master. What happens if he escapes and flees the country?"

"Let him. Don't engage him directly, we just want him gone one way or another. If he faces justice in the end matters little as long as he is gone."

Lynne reviewed the information once more before nodding. It would take her a few days at most and she could come and go so she was sure Harry wouldn't notice her leaving. Her mouth felt dry, but the leaf was still there, pressed against the roof. She had grown used to it.

"Harry asked if he could become an Animagus." she said.

Thorne didn't look surprised. "And what did you say?"

"That I would ask."

He considered. "If he's serious, we'll begin the leaf phase tomorrow. He'll be a few days behind you, but it's not as if we have a deadline for him."

She nodded again.

"Kid will love it, I think most of his family was one as well." he added.
​

---

Later that day, Lynne and Harry sat together on the edge of the orchard wall, watching the sun bend low across the trees.

"Thorne said yes by the way." she told him.

Harry sat up straighter. "Really?"

"He's already getting you the leaf."

He looked visibly pleased. "This is going to be brilliant. What if I turn into a dragon?"

"I haven't heard of any animagus turning into magical creatures."

He paused. "So probably not a dragon."

"Probably not." she answered amused.

"I hope I'm not a fish or something." he added after a beat. They both laughed.

"I'd keep you in a bowl."

"I'd probably bite your finger."

She smiled slightly. "Then I'd get a cat instead."
​

---

The question had been innocent enough.

"So those roller coasters you mentioned last time, have you ridden one before?"

Lynne asked over breakfast, her tone neutral, eyes fixed on the soft shimmer of butter melting across her toast.

Harry blinked at her from across the table. "I've never ridden one but I did go with the Dursleys to a theme park once. They said I was too short to get on most things. Why?"

"Well… I still remember, and I still have your silly drawing, it looked interesting."

Harry looked thoughtful. "We did say we would go to one someday."

"I am curious about why people would willingly subject themselves to such contraption. It looked unnecessary. But also, I guess… fun?"

Thorne entered just in time to catch the last word. He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Surprise, surprise." he said. "What fun are you guys talking about?"

Lynne looked at him, wondering if it was worth asking her master about permission.

"We are talking about Roller Coasters."

Harry grinned. "Can we go to a theme park?"

There was a beat of silence. Thorne stared at him, genuinely taken aback.

"A theme park." he repeated.

"It could be for my birthday." Harry added quickly. "Lynne's curious, and you said we could do something nice if we behaved."

Thorne made a noncommittal sound, then pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'll look into it."

Harry smiled triumphantly, but Lynne remained still, watching her guardian closely. He left the room, muttering something about Muggle noise machines and ward-breaking liability. When the door shut behind him, Harry turned back to Lynne.

"You didn't look as excited as before."

"I am unsure if I would enjoy it, but also it could put you in danger."

"You just said you were curious, besides I think I'd be fine."

"Curious and excited are not the same."

Harry crossed his arms. "By the way…What day is your birthday?"

Lynne hesitated.

"It was yesterday." she said simply. "July seventh."

Harry's expression changed instantly. "What?! You didn't say anything!"

"I didn't think it was important."

"You didn't think it was important?!"

"I am not a normal person, Harry."

"That's hardly an excuse."

He stood up, pushing his chair back with a soft scrape against the floor. "You should've told me."

"Its not really important, we don't celebrate it here."

Harry grimaced but composed his face quickly. "Well, happy late birthday. We should get a cake."

"A cake? I've never had one before. I didn't end up tasting the one we did for you last summer."

He stared at her. "You're joking."

She shook her head. "I am not."

"How did I not notice that?"

Harry almost dragged her toward the kitchen, resolved to make a cake for her. When they entered and explained to the house-elf what they wanted to do, Zicky looked scandalized, and then almost began crying when they insisted on baking it themselves without help. The elf had sputtered, waved their hands, offered seventeen pre-approved recipes, but Harry had already taken over the cupboard.

Lynne watched carefully as he arranged ingredients. She took note of every step, though she already understood most of them. Her body didn't need food. But her mind… was hungry in other ways.

They worked without magic. Flour dusted the counter and the tips of Harry's fringe. Butter smeared across her fingertips which was troublesome to get out without magic, but she could admit it was a fun time. She casted a Scourgify charm on herself when they were done with a smile on her face but Harry was frowning.

"This is a disaster.." Harry said, peering into the bowl.

"It's alright."

"It's ugly."

"That doesn't mean it won't taste good."

Harry glanced at her. "Well, as long as you like it."

Zicky hovered at the doorway the entire time, eyes twitching at every misstep. When the cake came out of the oven, it looked lopsided, slightly scorched at the edge, and misshapen in the middle. Harry cut two slices anyway and handed her one.

"Wait a second, Lynne."

He disappeared out of the kitchen then came back with a small candle, a stubby red thing she wasn't sure where she got it from, and lit it.

"Happy Birthday, Lynne." he said.

She blinked. "Thank you, Harry... Aren't you supposed to sing?"

He paused, flushed slightly, then cleared his throat. He sang quietly clearly embarrassed, clapping his hands to try and hide his voice in the noise, but she didn't mind. The sweetness of the cake sat strange on her tongue, but not unpleasantly.

The leaf made it difficult to enjoy fully but she still finished her slice in silence. She had no frame of reference for this, the taste or the song and even the crooked candle slowly melting into crumbs threw new feelings into her mind.

She looked back at him, grinning with a smile still laced with flour. She committed everything to memory, and bowed to save this moment for as long as she was alive. One of the happiest memories she had so far.
​

---

The sun had barely cleared the trees, and they were already halfway through breakfast. The manor's dining room smelled of toasted bread, black tea, and Zicky's pumpkin tarts. Lynne's attention, however, was on the newspaper.

Harry had unfolded the Daily Prophet beside his plate, scanning headlines while sipping from his chipped blue mug. He was barely pretending to chew.

"Listen to this." he said, nudging the paper toward her. "'Lockhart Under Fire – Ministry Investigating False Claims.'"

She looked down. There it was, front-page and bold: Gilderoy Lockhart's name surrounded by scandal and speculation, with phrases like "forged feats" "illegal memory modification" and "breach of magical ethics."

"I mean it was obvious that the guy was a fraud."

She nodded. "Yes, we basically lost the year and the exam was prepared by Dumbledore in the end, good thing we studied from the books instead."

Harry gave her a look. "You don't look at all surprised even if he was a fraud."

"Well, as you said, it was obvious." she said, sipping her tea.

He leaned in slightly. "I wonder what is going on with this as well." He said

She didn't answer. Rumors about Malfoy's disappearance had been added in one of the smaller headers. The minister decided not to comment on that, but the article hinted that they had left Britain and even removed his heir from Hogwarts.

Harry exhaled slowly, looking back at the article. "It looks like we won't be seeing Draco next year. I thought he would be a friend to have when we first met."

Lynne made no comment. The plan was unfolding as intended and the press were chasing rumors. The Ministry had no time to deal with Hogwarts appointments. The seat would open soon enough for his master to make his move.

Harry returned to his breakfast, tapping his spoon against the table absentmindedly.

"Did he say when I would get the leaf?"

"Yes, today." Lynne said. "You'll need to start holding it before noon."

He grinned. "Great. I've already practiced not choking."

"That's an oddly specific thing to rehearse."

"I'm thorough." he said with a smile.

She couldn't help but chuckle faintly. "You'll have it down by August, if you follow instructions."

Harry nodded. "Just in time for storm season, it's from late August to September. The book you gave me on it mentioned needing one."

"Hopefully not as a fish."

"Please don't jinx it."

They exchanged a glance, lighthearted and comfortable. The prospect of Animagus training had pulled him into a rhythm of something to look forward to, something not tied to practice and training which young Harry was starting to not like.

She could see it clearly, but together with her master, they had made it clear that he still had enemies out there and he needed to be the best he could.

"What if I turn into something ridiculous?" Harry mused aloud. "Like a squirrel."

"Squirrels are fast." Lynne replied, thinking it through. "And a bit chaotic, biting things they shouldn't. It would suit you."

"Very funny."

She reached for a slice of toast. "I hope not to turn into something disappointing at least, going through all this trouble."

Harry looked at her, sincere. "I'm sure you would find a use for it."

Her fingers paused just before the butter dish. She nodded once and continued, not answering. If she wasn't useful for her mission then it would be disappointing all the same.
​

---

The storm had started just before sunset. By the time the sky turned fully dark, her core was humming faintly with magical tension. Rain pelted the windows like thrown gravel, wind curling around the corners of the estate in long, uneven howls.

Lynne sat alone in one of the biggest chambers the manor had, beneath the west wing, cross-legged on top of a few cushions Zicky had gotten her. Her sleeves were rolled to the elbows, her wand pointing at her chest as she repeated the incantation softly.

"Amato… Animo… Animato… Animagus."

Each syllable sat stiff in her throat, stretched by the persistent presence of the mandrake leaf. She hadn't removed it and hadn't spoken freely in weeks. The discomfort was nowhere close to things she bore on her training so she could mostly ignore it.

She closed her eyes and recited it again. Outside, thunder cracked hard enough to shake dust from the ceiling beams. She reached for the small vial on the silver tray beside her.

The Animagus potion was complete, looking reddish and faintly metallic, still warm from the last temperature spell. Her master had supervised every phase of its creation. No ingredient was wrong and the steps went ahead without issues.

She uncorked it with one fluid motion and drank. It felt warm down her throat like liquid iron, she could feel her magic pulsed twice, one for her own core and the other for the animal presence the procedure invited. Her body was locked in place and her spine rigid. She exhaled through her nose as her vision dimmed briefly.

This was not a transformation by will or intent of a spell. This was magic bending through blood and the instinct of whatever animal would stick. Her fingertips prickled, but she was still comfortable, sitting on top of the cushions.

Her balance shifted, and for a moment, her sense of self blurred. Her legs curled a bit and her arms narrowed as her chest compressed. She tasted the air differently and could hear the rain in sharper detail.

When she opened her eyes again, her sight was way too different from the usual and she was no longer seated in her body. The room looked impossibly large and the cushions now felt like a whole bed but rougher beneath tiny claws.

She tried to breathe slowly as she got a feel for her new body. Her wings fluttered without instruction and the sound startled her. She was light and small, a kind of bird that would be fast, her body was compressed into something fragile but precise. She had no prosthetics, it seemed the magic transformed them into real limbs and wings below the feathers.

Her head tilted automatically, catching sound from two directions at once. She could hear her heart-beat for the first time, usually too slow and calm. This one felt faster than any she had ever heard, but it did not feel like fear.

She felt so alive and her body wanted to fly as soon as possible. She turned toward the mirror propped against the wall. A nightingale stared back at her with small dark eyes, she was silver-breasted, feathers slightly ruffled from the strain of the change.

She blinked once, then again, and raised one delicate claw experimentally. The motion mirrored perfectly and her new form felt so liberating to Lynne. She had seen the bird before, but she couldn't remember where exactly, and she briefly wondered if the other soul inside of her had a hand on her animagus transformation.

It wouldn't surprise her of course if that was the case, as they were becoming one. She took unsteady steps toward the center of the room again and shifted back to human form.

The return was sharper, like being pulled through a too-small doorway. She winced, wiping her face with her sleeve as her body returned to full shape and her limbs turned metal once more. The room was quiet again, except for the storm, and she stood steady, breathing shallow.

It had worked and now she was ready for her mission.
​

---

Lynne stood at the windows of the manor's upper study, watching the remnants of the storm fade into a pale grey morning. The curtains shifted gently behind her, brushing across the stone floor like echoes of movement long gone.

Her body was whole again, her core still warm from the transformation the night before. She had barely rested but her magic pulsed faintly beneath her skin, feeding from the ambient magic present in the manor.

Thorne entered without knocking although she had already heard the faint click of his boots before the door even opened. He carried a small black folder in one hand, marked with only a single seal.

She turned, her posture composed, and met his eyes.

"It worked." she said simply.

"Good, what form did you take?" He studied her for a moment.

"A bird, nightingale."

He took his wand out and casted a few diagnose spells.

"Your magic seems to be fine, no issues here. Did you have a problem reverting back?"

"None."

He nodded, apparently satisfied, and set the folder on the table between them.

"Then you're ready for our next mission."

She stepped forward without hesitation and opened it. It was lighter than a few of her assignments, this one had no photos, but it did have maps and building schematics. It looked like a heavily fortified fortress with many levels to cover.

A line at the top highlighted her objective: Subject: Sirius Orion Black.

Lynne blinked once. "We're retrieving a Death Eater?"

"No, we are not. This is a rescue operation. We are breaking into Azkaban."

She read the name again, slower this time. "Sirius Black, I thought he betrayed the Potters."

Thorne nodded. "That's the guy. But you don't know the whole story, not surprising as I never did tell you. Most of the world only remembers the lie."

Her gaze flicked upward. "This will be highly risky."

"Yes."

"If it was a lie, why is he in Azkaban then?"

"Because he was branded a Death Eater and a traitor. Most people believed that lie and he was imprisoned."

Lynne waited, but Thorne didn't elaborate.

"I take it he wasn't then?"

"No. He was framed." Thorne's voice was level, but there was a tautness beneath it. "He was captured and sentenced without a trial or a defense. Sent to rot in a cell surrounded by Dementors for over a decade."

That gave her pause. "Why?"

"Because Dumbledore allowed it, believing the lies as well. Even if he thought he was a traitor, he could have used his position to give him a different outcome, like he did with Severus Snape. The Ministry wanted closure and they needed someone to blame for the deaths of James and Lily Potter."

Lynne kept reading. There was little else in the file, just a sketch of the wing layout, the schedule of the guard rotations, and a warning of the amount of dementors per level.

"And why now?" she asked.

"Because he matters, I tried convincing people of having a trial for him and getting him out by legal ways through the years but they all failed or would have exposed me early." Thorne said. "Now it's time."

He stepped closer, folding his arms.

"You've protected Harry. You've been near him, watched him grow. You know that he is not happy with his family. The muggles that are related to him are one of the worst scum there is. Sirius is his godfather. Named as such in James Potter's will. He was meant to raise the boy and he would have, if he hadn't been caged."

Lynne digested the information carefully. "You intend to have Sirius Black move in as his family."

"It would give him a family he wouldn't hate." Thorne said.

She turned her head in thought. "How do you know Black would care for him?"

"I have seen it"

A beat passed in silence.

"Doing this the illegal way will bring issues and he won't be able to leave the manor much without the ministry hunting for him." she said.

"No, he won't. But this is war, he will have to adapt." His tone shifted slightly, cooler and more familiar.

"There will be no appeal, no court ruling. I attempted the diplomatic routes and they stalled me at every turn. This is the only way. Besides, he is part of the Black family, I'm sure he will have a place of his own to hide even if we don't hide him here."

She nodded. "Understood. Will you be going with me? You said our mission and not mine."

"Yes. You're not ready to cast a full Patronus. I will handle the Dementors if they become an issue. You'll assist in navigation, stealth, and extraction."

She turned a page. "Do we know where exactly he is being held?"

"We don't know his cell location yet, we will have to search as we infiltrate the place. The guards are minimal as not many can handle the Dementors exposure… The creatures however are plenty."

That part she already knew as it was quite known that dementors were used to guard the prisoners and slowly drive them mad. A heavy deterrence against committing crimes as being reinserted into society after that exposure was almost impossible.

"What do we tell Harry?" she asked.

Thorne didn't hesitate. "That we're getting his birthday gift. Zicky will keep him occupied."

Lynne nodded although she wondered if it was enough to quiet Harry's curiosity and suspicion. He moved past her, placing a hand briefly on her shoulder.

"You've done well, Lynne. This… matters more than you know."

She gave him a small nod, understanding the gravity of the mission and the risk involved. When he left, she remained in the study a moment longer. She studied the file still open in her hands, memorizing the schematics of the entire prison, every page stored in her mind for future use.

She admired her master resourcefulness, obtaining a blueprint of magical Britain's most heavily guarded prison couldn't have been a simple feat. She closed the folder after she was done and stored it on her satchel.

Tonight, they would fly into a place where no one returned sane. They would pull a man from a cage the world had forgotten. She didn't know what Harry would feel, but she hoped this would turn into something good for her best friend.
​

---

Lynne soared low over the sea, wings beating in measured silence as the thin moonlight that was present tonight reflected on the water surface. The salt air burned cold in her lungs, but her body, small and feathered, moved easily through the night. The wind howled beneath her, but the feeling it sent through her senses made her comfortable and free.

Thorne flew ahead, a sleek black crow gliding just above the waves. His wings cut through the wind with unerring precision, each movement economical and deliberate. She followed, silent and alert.

The island crept into view like a wound on the sea. The prison rose from the black water in jagged stone, more fortress than prison, though no banners flew above it, and no light escaped its walls. The storm had passed, but the cold had not. Here, the chill was unnatural and she assumed the dementor's influence was already being felt.

The feeling of dread began as a whisper. And although she could suppress it in her animal form, it was still uncomfortable. Her thoughts thickened and her heartbeat slowed. Her wings faltered once, only for a second but then she pressed forward, her master's flapping keeping her grounded and steady.

They slipped through a blind spot on the top of the triangle shaped structure, gliding through a seam Thorne had found and then through a barred window, big enough for the two birds. He had been planning this longer than he'd admitted it seemed.

They reached the eastern spire and shifted back to human form behind a wall pillar. They quickly pulled out their wands ready to subdue one of the guards to interrogate and find out where Sirius was held. Thorne straightened beside her, robes fluttering as he drew a thick black charm-breaker from his belt.

"You alright?" he whispered.

She nodded once.

"We should be close to one of the guards on patrol, we strike fast."

She followed without a word. The upper corridors were mostly empty, they didn't even encounter a dementor patrol yet. The human guards had clearly abandoned any real sense of presence in this area. When they did find the pair in charge of this level, one was dozing in a side room with a small fireplace, the warmth keeping them lazy and inattentive.

They moved like smoke through the shadows and subdued them quickly and used legilimency to obtain information. The one who knew where every prisoner was located was the current warden, and Sirius Black was not present on that upper level, although a few Death Eaters of notice were.

They switched back to their animagus form and moved further inside the prison. Every so often, she heard a sound. Voices of prisoners that were too far gone already, or just distant cries and moans.

The cracking laugh of someone long past sanity. When they found the warden's office on the first floor. The sneaked in undetected as he was writing on his desk. His quill fell to the ground as they stunned him.

After locating Black, they descended all the way to the second sublevel. For some reason it was worse there, Dementors were floating close by. You could feel them first in your ribs, like a hollowing pressure. Her vision blurred at the edges, and though her limbs moved fluidly, her thoughts felt slowed, like walking through water, or thick fog.

She quickly followed his master as the crow flew from cell to cell finally reaching the right wing. The cells were narrow, the bars heavy with enchantments. Many of the prisoners inside were no longer recognizable as people. Just shapes huddled in corners, muttering or staring blankly at nothing. They kept moving until Thorne stopped in front of one of the cells.

The cell was quiet all of a sudden, no muttering. Just a low, steady breathing sound in the dark. Lynne approached the bars and peered inside. A large black dog was curled in the corner of the wet stone floor. His fur was matted, his ribs showing. For a moment, she wondered if he was dead. Then his ears twitched and his eyes focused on the pair of birds.

She slipped quickly between the bars, her nightingale form landed silently just beside the dog. He turned sharply, startled, teeth bared, then she transformed without warning and with her wand she quickly casted the spell to revert an animagus form at him. The pale light hitting the dog and transforming him into a human once more.

"Sirius Black." Throne said softly. She felt a flicker of gratitude once his master was able to ward off the dread with a patronus charm. His own patronus took the shape of a crow as well.

A gaunt man with wild hair and hollow eyes now stood where the dog had been, crouched, muscles tense like a trapped animal. He stared at her. Then at Thorne, who had now stepped into view wearing a mask.

"We're not here to harm you." Thorne said calmly.

Sirius's eyes narrowed.

"Food?" Lynne offered, holding out a wrapped loaf and a flask.

He grabbed it and hurled it against the wall. "I don't want your poisoned tricks."

"We wouldn't go through the trouble of being the first people to break into Azkaban just to kill you, Black. Harry is safe with us, we are friends." Thorne said.

Sirius froze and she stepped forward slowly. "Harry's safe. He's my best friend. He's waiting for you."

His face twitched, recognition and disbelief warring on his features.

"Why is Harry with you? Who are you?"

"We know who you are." she continued. "You're his godfather. He doesn't know yet, not everything. But he will if you come with us. We came for you… because he deserves to have a family."

Sirius stared at her. Then at Thorne, then back at her. No doubt with disbelief at a strange small girl with metal arms offering to rescue him out of this horrible place.

"I don't know who the hell you are." he muttered. "But if you're lying-"

"We're not." Thorne interrupted. "There's no time to explain everything. But you have two choices: we stun you and kidnap you forcibly, or come with us and find out the truth willingly."

Sirius said nothing at first, thinking it through. Then, slowly, he nodded. "Alright, but I want a wand."

"We don't have a spare one right now." Said her master. "We will give you one once we are back. You need to heal first though, you look terrible."

He smirked, "I'm sure the ladies will want me either way after a bath."

"You are going to enter an expanded trunk. It will be shrunk down so you might feel a bit uncomfortable and it might move a lot, but it will be the fastest way."

Black looked doubtful but accepted it with a nod. She took the butterfly pin out of her hair and transformed it back to her usual trunk.

"Any chance you have more food?"

"In you go." She said simply.

Dejected, he slowly entered the trunk, he was a bit shaky still so he took his time. Once he was inside, Lynne closed it and shrunk it back to a pin, then stored it safely on her clothes.

They transformed back and the two birds took to the night sky once they were out of the sublevel. The air was still bitter, but not as bitter as what they left behind.
​

---

"Chirp chirp" - Lynne

 

[Lucernello]

Hey Honoa! o7

For bulletproofing, I was just imagining something like a bulletproof sort of subdermal mesh. No electronics or anything. Skin like armor or reinforced vital organs. Possibly even as a natural part of her body. Minimum mechanical action. Or a living solution if that's too difficult. Passive warding spells on the scale of what hardens horcruxes against damage.

Click to shrink...

To make this kind of thread you would need machinery or 3d printing probably? I think it would be difficult to have something like that in 1980s, but we were already sending stuff to outer space so maybe you are right. She doesn't have though.

Oh? So she's not directly oxygenating and clearing the byproducts via magic or some more optimized respiratory systems? The brain has no idea what organs it's connected to. Only that it needs blood, nutrients, oxygen, and to extract the byproducts for cleaning. So replacing them shouldn't be a problem as long as there's no arcane reason not to.

Click to shrink...

While that is true, it adds more strain to the magical core, even runes need to be powered by magic somewhat, even if ambient, the problem is she needs that to function in general. Since those can work between each other, along with a few others, it would be simpler to have them. There are still ways to have a magical risk mitigations in case those fail so I think having them would be more simple.

I can neither deny nor confirm your other theories, just gonna say I like them.