A/N: Okay, so I know that I have other stories going as well, but I also tend to have a lot of ideas and I want to make them happen. This one will likely be on a rather irregular schedule, since Technical Difficulties and Beware the Frozen Heart(once I get that going again) will take precedence, but still. It's the idea that is cool and that. There will also be ONE little switch here: Fem!Harry, because it works better with the race that way. Lastly, the name is Norwegian and translates to 'Heart of the Valkyrie.'

Response to DZ2's Way of the Warrior challenge:

Plot: On the night that Dumbledore left Harry on the doorstep, a second being was there with one purpose in mind: they knew Harry would be in a war, so they took it upon themselves to give him the strength that he needed.

Rules: Grey or Dark Harry check
The being that takes Harry away MUST be part of some 'warrior' race Valkyrie
Harry's upbringing with this race MUST be in the story ugh, check
The one that takes Harry away MUST either adopt Harry or give him some sort of protection, keeping him with the warriors doi
Harry/female pairings ONLY no go bro, breaks the forbidden of no slash. XD
When Harry goes to Hogwarts, he uses his warrior abilities as well as his magical ones Should be fun
Harry's strength and abilities unnerve, annoy and even frighten some people Again, doi
At least ONE other student of Hogwarts must be from the same race And I have just the one... ehehehehe...
At some point in the story, Harry MUST offer training to at least ONE person Third time, doi

Guidelines: Harry is trained to become the new leader of the race Possible, not sure how likely.
Reasonable Creature Races (Elves, Centaurs, Goblins etc.)
Harry's weapon can be disguised somehow Accepted
Harry has a familiar Accepted
The race gets Sirius free and cleared hmmmm...
Lily and/or James are actually bloodline members of the race Accepted
Lily and/or James survive that night and instead take Harry away after the attack Accepted
Crossovers
A prophecy speaks of the warrior wizard Sure, just not wizarding prophecy

Forbidden: Slash
Harems
The Dursleys raising Harry
Harry giving up his newfound abilities/powers
Weak, naive Harry
Dumbledore and/or Voldemort gaining the allegiance of Harry and his 'family'

Other than that, it's up to you...

Lily Seier Evans

Lysstyrke Potter

2:01 AM, November 1, 1981

Number 4, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey

A shadowy figure lurks in the shadows, a dark woolen cloak completely covering them from the revealing light of the moon. Though the hood is drawn up, if one were to look at the correct spot in just the right way, they would be able to see the softly radiant cerulean green of the figure's eyes as they watch a flamboyantly dressed Old Saint Nick fellow attempt to allay the fears of the rigid woman in the dark forest green robes and pointed hat. The figure hears every word the old man says, and a coil of indignant and righteous fury builds in their heart.

The woman in green protests in a vociferous hiss, "You cannae mean to leave her here Albus, I've watched them all day! They are the worst sort of muggles imaginable! That little boy in there is a right beast, I witnessed him kicking his mother in the ankle when she wouldnae give him the sweeties he wanted right then! Add to that the fact that I knew her sister, and Lily wouldnae have ever forgiven Petunia for what she said to her on her wedding day, and you cannae possibly mean to leave Lysstyrke Potter, the most important little girl in Wizarding Britain, with this horrid family!"

Albus Dumbledore, for whom else would wear a dreadfully discombobulating royal purple robe embroidered with golden stars and moons, strokes his beard in that way that he has which says 'I know better than you, so shut up and take my advice for I know all' and replies in a seemingly thoughtful and calm voice, "Of course it is not ideal, but where else should she go? Family is everything, and Petunia is the last living link that young Miss Potter will have to her now departed mother. She will be safe here, and she will be loved, for family takes care of family."

Just at that moment, the sound of a great roaring engine can be heard, and descending out of the sky is a giant of a man astride a large bike that still manages to look a bit like a toy between his legs. As soon as he has touched down and stopped the rumbling purr, he is off the bike with no trouble at all and pulling a swaddle of blankets seemingly out of his very beard, handing what could only be an infant to the doddering old fool of a man. With no more words exchanged, the man whom it seemed wished to be seen as Merlin himself lays the child on the doorstep, a letter pinned to the blanket with no spell to ward off the night's creeping chill, and turns away with a satisfied smirk that makes his twinkling eyes glitter in the full moon. A moment more, and all three are gone.

Once the street is clear, the cloaked figure moves from the shadows and strides quickly to the infant child on the ground, her cloak billowing away from her and revealing the shining armor beneath, trimmed with fur of great northern beasts. She kneels beside the baby, blue eyes kind and no longer hard with anger, a long golden blonde braid falling from her hood as she reaches out and carefully lifts the little girl. A soft and kind voice springs from her lips as she smiles just a bit, "Ikke gråt, liten en. Du er trygg, og moren din vil gjerne se deg igjen når hun våkner. La oss gå hjem." Without another word, the woman stands and wraps the little bundle of joy into a sling around her back, buried in the cloak to keep her warm as she steps between Realms to Valhalla, home of the Valkyrie.

A/N: Okay, so this story will not have the same issue as my other Harry Potter fic, Lysstyrke will not be hiding what she is from anyone. The Valkyrie are a proud warrior race, and more than that, letting everyone know what she is will be seen as not only honorable to her, but as a deterrent since they are known from legends to be only ever seen on the battlefield, making them a race to respected and feared.

I may actually end up enjoying her childhood, so I don't know how many chapters I'll manage to write for it. I do recognize that I don't really do chapters this short normally, even if they aren't super super long, and that this is not the most interesting opening chapter, but I can't really make this a super stand-out intro with the way things have been done a million times here. I just hope you'll trust me and stand by me! ALSO, if me changing Harry's gender is a total taboo for this writing challenge, please let me know so I can do...something. I don't know what I'd do, but it would probably involve a total rework of everything, so eh. Whatever. I'd like it to not be taboo though.

Translation for what the for-now-unnamed Valkyrie said: "Do not cry, little one. You are safe, and your mother will be happy to see you again, once she wakes. Let us go home."