PROLOGUE
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0. city of angels !

— VENUS CARLISLE WAS A WAR HERO, notorious for having fought alongside Harry Potter himself in the Second Wizarding World War. She was well known across all of Great Britain for being a witch of incredible intelligence and power, and a close friend of the boy who lived. Venus had unintentionally made a name for herself as a young girl, standing alongside her school friends as they fought off dark wizards and witches alike, and even continuing to pursue them as Aurors, long after the war had come to an end.

The battle for Justice still hadn't finished, and it was a hard fought battle at that. Venus alone had tracked down and put away tens of dark wizards that had gone into hiding after their Dark Lord had been defeated.

There had been mutterings among wizard folk of her many triumphs and sacrifices that hardly let the woman go unrecognized in the magical world. She couldn't set a foot in the Leaky Cauldron without being noticed and asked a question or two.

Children asked for stories- of which she had few that were fit for their ears. Enthusiasts asked for her to sign the chocolate frogs cards that bore her name and photograph, or pushed enchanted cameras in her face.

She had grown rather tired of it.

Venus desired a change. She knew that maybe she couldn't escape the gossipers that stuck around her like flies, or the questioning children, but she couldn't help but wish for a new atmosphere. One that didn't constantly remind her of a tragic childhood she had tried to leave behind.

The woman sighed as she packaged some spare mandrake root and powdered bicorn horn into travel containers before stacking them together and pressing them down deep into her gaudy green purse. The last things to be stored for travel were her potions supplies, and as Venus looked around her barren room, she was beginning to appreciate more and more what the power of a bag with an extension charm could do for a witch. It was as if her entire life fit into the small handbag.

Goodbyes were all too familiar to Venus, though that didn't necessarily mean they were easy.

"You'll write, won't you?" A kind, lofty voice asked from the door of her bedroom.

Venus smiled affectionately as she snapped another lid on a small container of lacewing flies.

"You're practically my godfather." Venus mused, "Of course I will."

The man shuffled into the room and came to stand at Venus' side, though she kept her eyes on her task and simply glanced at his beige robe and long colourless hair.

"And what of your parents?" He asked.

"I said my farewells yesterday." She hummed quietly, "Doctor Talbott suggested that I have them transferred to St. Waldus, but I declined. They're much better off here, where things are familiar to them. Keep an eye on them for me, please?"

"Of course."

The man fell silent for a moment, choosing to assist with the woman's supplies. He collapsed a portable cauldron as he spoke again, "I'll be terribly lonely without you, dear girl."

Venus tilted her head while her lips pursed together in a small smile, "Luna visits almost every day, Xenophilius, you'll hardly be alone long enough to be lonely."

"Yet I shall miss our morning teas." He agreed, looking preoccupied as he glanced out the window to see the climbing vines of dirigible plums just outside that had been replaced years ago, almost as soon as the Lovegood home was rebuilt.

The window was open, as long the cool breeze and kind weather permitted it, while the sweet smell of flutterby bushes wafted into the room. The mid afternoon sun cast light and shadows along the birch tree wallpaper and illuminated the dust particles Venus had kicked up while packing.

Venus clinked together some vials of swirling liquid as she hid them away in protective wrap for safe keeping, "And I shall miss you."

She finally turned and leaned against the now cleared desk to look at Xenophilius with the adoration of a child looking up at their father- which of course, he may as well be.

Xenophilius sighed heavily, still seemingly reluctant to let the girl go- but accepting that she was an adult, perfectly capable of knowing what was best for herself.

So instead of arguing, he simply opened his arms- which Venus immediately leaned into- and held her close, patting her shoulder gently.

The moment was interrupted by two light crack sounds somewhere outside, and a knock at the door downstairs.

Venus and Xenophilus reluctantly pulled away, and while he muttered to himself and went to open the door, Venus grabbed her purse and trailed after him, taking in the walls of a home she had come to see as her own.

Venus came upon the final stair just as Xenophilius opened the front door to reveal a mature looking brunette and a man with bright red hair, both of whom beamed brightly when their eyes fell on Venus.

The blonde woman returned the joyous look, though the corner of her lips pulled up slightly as a teasing remark traced her tongue, "My, my, the minister is making house calls now, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Hermione laughed, producing an envelope and offering it to Venus, "I thought I'd deliver your papers personally, and see you at least once briefly before you left."

Venus nodded, taking the papers and tucking them away in her purse, "And what about your husband." She regarded the red haired man in a jokingly cold tone.

"I came to see you off and let you know that the family wishes you well." Ron grinned a slightly crooked smile, "Harry would have come too, but he got caught up at the Ministry running your recent case by the Wizengamot."

Venus sighed, "Thank him again for that, will you?"

Hermione nodded before turning her attention to Xenophilius, who had made himself scarce and busied about the kitchen, "Your dirigible plums are looking fantastic, Mr Lovegood." She complimented.

"Yes, thank you, please don't touch them." Xenophilius uttered in his soft, far off tone as he continued to make himself some tea.

Ron raised his eyebrows at Venus, a silent moment of judgement for the man she saw as her father figure.

She could only smile sheepishly and shrug, for there was no explanation for Xenophilius' odd self.

"Right." Ron nodded, clearly wanting to change the subject. "Well, the auror office is sad to see you go. They're certainly losing one of their best." He winked.

"Yes, I heard about your early resignation." Venus fired back the compliment, leaning against the doorframe and allowing the slight breeze to run through her short hair.

"George needs help maintaining the shop." Ron dismissed with a shrug, "He'll be expecting you to owl him, by the way."

Venus smiled, although it was tighter than her usual dazzling grins, "Yes, I know. I'll try my best."

"Try harder." Hermione pleaded in a soft whisper, "He misses you."

Venus' eyes turned sad, losing a bit of their shine, "I know... It's just difficult seeing him when he isn't..."

"Yeah." Ron agreed quietly, knowing exactly what the woman was implying.

A sullen silence fell over them, before Ron tried his best to bring back the conversation.

"You better owl us." He stated.

"All the time." Hermione agreed with a nod.

Venus laughed, "You'll be sick of me, I promise."

Hermione nodded firmly again, shuffling about and adjusting her clothes so they looked cleaner and put- together, "Right, well, we best be off."

"Yes," Venus agreed, "The Ministry can hardly run itself."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "For Merlin's sake, I'm not the bloody queen." She laughed.

Ron joined in Venus' teasing, "You may as well be."

The brunette huffed, trying to seem annoyed- though the smile that bled through her facade gave her away.

"All your papers are in order." She assured Venus. "And the address of your apartment is written on a sticky note, along with your new muggle precinct and the address of Crescent Street."

"Thank you, Hermione." Venus smiled softly.

Hermione broke out of her professional demeanour to offer a look of affection to the blonde. A look that spoke a million words, most of which being some variation of 'you're one of my best friends, I'll miss you'.

"The portkey opens at eight sharp." Hermione reminded worriedly as Ron gave Venus a tight hug, "You should get going soon if you want to be in LA before nightfall."

Venus nodded diligently, pulling away from Ron to give Hermione a similar squeeze, "Say hello to the kids for me."

Hermione agreed with a dear smile and the two visitors bid their goodbyes before pulling out their wands and disappearing with a loud pop.

— AT PRECISELY THREE MINUTES TO EIGHT, Venus and Xenophilius arrived at the open field where an item resided that would take Venus from Devon, England to the electric city of angels.

A man stood guard next to an old, worn rubber football, and tipped his hat as the pair approached.

"Miss Carlisle?" The man spoke in a light Irish accent and looked to confirm that Venus was in fact the woman permitted to use the enchanted item he guarded.

"Yes, that's me." She smiled kindly, handing over some of the papers Hermione had delivered earlier; sheets of writing that permitted Venus access to portkey transportation.

The man seemed slightly in awe of the woman, no doubt having heard stories about her prowess in battle, and great skill in many areas of magic. However he handed the reviewed papers back and covered it up well.

"You're just in time." He observed, "Two minutes to spare!"

"Thank Merlin." Venus only sighed, recalling how herself and Xenophilius had gotten lost twice in search of this one particular place.

"This is where you leave me, I'm afraid." Xenophilius frowned, looking at the football with a small amount of distaste.

"I'll visit soon." Venus assured, looking up at the man.

"Yes..." He trailed off and looked fondly at the girl he'd come to think of as a daughter, before snapping back to his thoughts, "Yes, you best get going, you don't want to miss it."

Venus held her purse tight in one hand, crouching down to hover the other hand over the worn football.

"Love you, Da." She grinned. "Tell Luna she's welcome by any time on her travels, and thank her grandfather-in-law for the wonderful parting gift if you see him before I do."

"I will, dear." Xenophilius smiled.

Before another word could be said, the man next to them checked his wrist watch and called out the time, forcing Venus to slap her hand down on the football and suddenly lose focus of the world around her, feeling as if she was being pulled along by a steel hook caught just behind her navel.

It was terribly unpleasant and downright sickening, but it was also the absolute quickest way to get to her new home, as she didn't want to risk splinching should her attempt at apparition go bad. She tried to embrace the feeling, knowing that this feeling, as disgusting as it was, was the beginning of a whole new chapter in her life.

— THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES WAS BRIGHT AND LOUD. That was the first thing Venus noticed when she exited the dark alley she had been transported to. It's volume and boldness was almost uncomfortable, but Venus welcomed it as a change from her usual quiet nights in the Middle Of Nowhere, Britain.

She had been itching for change, and this was it.

Venus took these drastic new changes in stride, wandering along the sidewalk, observing the diverse establishments and people as she followed along the directions Hermione had left her to her new apartment, which was near the top floor level of a modern looking building.

Finding the apartment and getting into it were surprisingly undifficult tasks. The landlord was a kind young woman who took it upon herself to make sure Venus settled in easily and knew her way around.

Venus couldn't help but sit quietly on her new couch cushions and muse over how quickly all this had happened. One minute she's at Harry Potter's side as he explains a new case to her very own squad of Aurors, and the next she was transferring to muggle law enforcement and living in sunny Los Angeles.

She looked out the windows that stretched across one wall, simply observing the distant lights and atmosphere. Everything was so different here to what she had always known.

The thought brought a bright smile to her face. She had chosen the perfect place to build anew and forget about her calamitous past.

Unknowingly, only a few blocks away from where she sat, the devil himself looked upon the world from his modern penthouse, and smiled as she did.

Two opposite pasts, but similar mindsets did they share, and as the sky changed and darkened into one painted with stars, it seemed as if things were finally looking up.

author's note

please dont come at me about this timeline yall, I know Hermione didn't get elected until 2019 😭😭 im probably gonna end up screwing with the original timelines of both fandoms so I'm apologizing in advance

On that note, this story may only briefly follow some of the lucifer plot- because it'll mostly be original plot based on the Harry Potter universe- sorry if that's confusing, you'll see what I mean later- more apologies for I am tiREd as all hell

ANyway thank you so much for joining me for this first chapter, I'm really excited to explore this character some more in the future 😭 and for those that are curious:
Venus is a Ravenclaw!✨