Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Pain
31st of October 1981
The night of the 31st of October was one which was very cold. Potters, hidden in Godric's Hollow in Scotland, could have seen nothing if either of them tried to look out of the window.
A slow snowstorm had started, and as the shadowy figure walked towards a house that didn't exist.
One would have only thought of what madness had possessed this man to be out in a night so cold as this. But these were troubled times, times when people were wary of one another.
But if I were only a common man, for it was Lord Voldemort hidden in those shadowy robes of his.
The hiding place of his equal, Lord Voldemort, sneered at the very thought.
At that time, no one would have disagreed, for it seemed Lord Voldemort was an unstoppable force, so powerful and glorious in his form that even Dumbledore, the defeater of Grindelwald, was having a hard time containing this civil war from blowing up.
Lord Voldemort paused; the coldness didn't bother him, and he was far past the point where he would have cared to have covered himself for warmth.
The coldness, ah, that was one old friend of his, this wintry night had nothing to frighten him for when it compared in fSue Lit of the real coldness that he had felt while tearing his soul out. Oh, that burned... oh yesss. That coldness burned and roared with the heat of a thousand- thousand Fiendfyre.
Oh, how any boy could have been crowned his equal when they had seen Nothing, when they had felt Nothing. Oh, no, they had not seen a hundredth thousand of what he had endured to get this power. Oh, to get this power flowing through his veins.
Lord Voldemort let out a hiss of pure ecstasy; no one could have believed that such a human emotion was capable from Lord Voldemort.
But it was true, and only Lord Voldemort could have felt the real warmth of magic that coursed through his veins after hundreds of rituals that he had done to strengthen his connection to magic, dozens of his own design. He had crossed all the boundaries that had been set by Merlin.
And to think that a mere child shall be his doom!! That a human shall be his equal.
Oh, how it boiled his blood. He wanted to kill, to rip their bones out… to flay them alive… to do all these things together.
“Aberto Horribilis”, hissed Lord Voldemort as the stSue Ligest unlocking charm hit the door of Potter’s, opening it.
Lord Voldemort stepped inside the house, holding his wand of yew and Phoenix aloft. He looked at the house in distaste. Potters would pay the price of defiance today.
---
James Potter was a newlywed and a father. He giggled as he tickled his son just underneath the chin and blew a raspberry at him.
Harry laughed. Harry’s mum, though, lay easily on the bed beside the cradle of Harry and just looked at her two big boys.
She was tired from all the nightly disturbances that Harry caused, all the shenanigans that a magical child would cause. But she was happy and content.
She smiled, exhausted from the long, long day that had passed.
It was nice to relax like this, but she couldn’t bear to live on like this for too long; their family couldn’t stay cooped in a two-storey house day in and day out. And she certainly couldn’t bear to leave her friends alone in their struggle.
They heard their house door fly open, then quickly lock and bolt.
“That must be, Sirius”, James chirped.
Of course, they needed groceries, and sometimes Sirius couldn’t get time to visit during the day…
James carefully placed Harry down in her lap and walked down with his wand aloft, waving it and casting a lumos. His eyes were full of sleep after all; a new dad never had a moment's peace.
And he certainly didn’t, not with Sirius and his antics and Harry, always teetering on the brink of opening his skull by smashing in walls while riding a Comet 260, a comet gifted by Sirius. Oh, James could have been jealous.
“Sirius”, he called out and stepped right in fSue Lit of-
Lord Voldemort smiled that creepy smile as all the colour from the face of James Potter drained off.
“But… but how?” whispered James Potter, his eyes wide and full of fear, his body shaking with fear as he looked into the eyes of Lord Voldemort, those red- red eyes…
“LILY RUN!”, shouted James Potter, his voice breaking at the top of his lungs and dodged the killing curse sent his way,
Oh, the fun that Lord Voldemort was having as he watched James Potter trying to realise the trouble he was in.
“Not my family”, croaked James Potter, and both the wizards began to duel.
There was little competition between James Potter and Lord Voldemort. While James Potter was talented, he was nowhere even close to Lord Voldemort, but while he couldn’t win against the Dark Wizard, he could try… try to hold him off and hope-hope that Lily could flee with their Children.
“Aberombo”, hissed Lord Voldemort, catching James Potter’s wand arm and with the Bone Breaker and with a sickening crunch, the Bone snapped.
James Potter cried in pain, falling onto the ground, tears coating the face of a father, a husband, a lover… a broken man.
“ ’ou Ssssshall dieeeeeeeeee, but suffer first ”, hissed Lord Voldemort.
“Crucio”
James Potter roared in agony, his eyes turning red as he screamed, writhing in pain as the Cloaked figure laughed maniacally.
“Avada Kedavra”, hissed Lord Voldemort, laughing his cruel laugh as he climbed up the stairs, blasting each room with the blasting hex and lighting the house up with Fiend Fyre.
---
Lily, having heard of James’ cry, did the first thing that she could think of, trying to apparate, and it was then that she realised the trouble she was in, as she tried to blow open a hole in the window to fly out on a broom, the spell ricocheted and flew right out of the door, causing an explosion down.
Only one thing remained, she hoped, Albus would be here soon.
“Expecto PatSue Lium”, she whispered, and a beautiful stag appeared from her wand. How much she loved her son Harry, for he was her best memory, and oh, so much she loved James.
“Help, Albus”, was all she could say to the PatSue Lius message.
---
Lord Voldemort Cackled Madly as he blew apart the door of the Nursery.
“Please not my child… Please, not my Harry”, begged Lily Potter as she wept, her silvery tears coating her face.
Lord Voldemort smirked, “Ssstand aside yoou foolisssh girlll”, hissed the no-longer Human.
“Please… Please, not my child, I beg of you. I shall…”, Lily Potter fell to her knees and begged the Cruel man with Red eyes to stop and spare her family.
“Crucio”, hissed Lord Voldemort, the red curse touching Lily Potter and making her scream her lungs out. Being a mudblood, Lord Voldemort tortured Lily Potter with a dozen different curses until she was no longer recognisable, and then finally bored with his sick amusement, hissed.
“Avada Kedavra”
And Lord Voldemort turned and looked towards the crying child, oh, how soon it was over…
He raised his wand in a quick killing Killing curse… but
“Not so soon, Lord Voldemort”, a hoarse old voice cried softly.
Lord Voldemort laughed and turned…
Harry Potter
(Inside Room of Requirements)
September 23rd, 1994
“Gah”
“Bombarda”
“Lacero”
“Reducto”
“Confringo”
“Protego”
“Gah”
“Duri”
“Reducto”
He sighed as he sent his last spell, letting the thrill and pleasure wash over him as the spell struck the training dummy, turning it into stone and then being blasted into pieces with a reducto. He laughed, releasing the pent-up energy and thrill that had been gathering in his chest.
He knew his parents would be proud to see him, see his progress. He had come so far...
He limped towards a chair and managed to seat himself; the training had been exhausting.
But at least another of his training sessions was over, and he snorted and took a swing of Butterbeer. He was improving his duelling skills that were much needed. After all, the path to Deathly Hallows was filled with blood and sweat.
He had realised that after the last year.
He closed his eyes and wished for a book on the Grindelwald wars. He had a very clear picture in his mind... it was 'The Alliance', a book written by one of the foremost acolytes of Grindelwald. Censored and suppressed, yet had somehow made a way into the infinite treasure trove of Knowledge at Hogwarts, the endless Library of Rowena Ravenclaw.
There was a thud as a book landed on the ground. He opened his eyes and went to pick up the book.
“Ah, my favourite”, he said as he opened 'The Alliance and acolytes, written by Starina Dubov', this book had chSue Liicled Grindelwald’s Life and fall, and was written by one of the few and handful of people to have witnessed the last duel of the great war... the clash of two titans... the duel of century, the duel of Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald.
He needed to confirm… confirm if the wand was held by Dumbledore, for one last time. And if it was, then he would need to work hard… as hard as he could and become a greater wizard than Dumbledore and win the wand, win the wand of destiny, the death stick… he needed to unite the Hallows… the Hallows... the path to his destiny, the path to victory. The only path that led to his Parents… that was the only way to defeat the last enemy- Death.
~~
There I stood watching as Gellert and Dumbledore duelled, spells left the two wands before one could blink, it was mesmerising and yet so frightening, magic beyond the capabilities of us mere mortals being used so frivolously.
Gellert seemed to win for a moment, and then Dumbledore was back on foot and leading the dance.
It is said that when two equals duel, the fight either lasts two strokes long or ends in the fall of both men. For so long, Gellert Grindelwald had said that no human could have matched him, that we had forgotten the enigma that Dumbledore is.
The truth is, I do not know which person is a greater man. Gellert or Dumbledore, people will say Dumbledore, but as a confidant of Gellert, I could see that Gellert didn't have the heart to fight Dumbledore.
I could see it in their eyes, the sadness, Gellert's last attempts to keep his vision alive and somehow spare his love, Dumbledore's to end the endless slaughter and the sadness at the thought of slaying his love.
In the blink of an eye, there stood Grindelwald, his wand no longer in his hand, his eyes filled with infinite sadness.
I remember the last words, "I was never your enemy, I just wanted the best for our world"
It is often a matter of perspective. I am now an old woman; my bones ache, and my mind often wanders. I have spent fifty years in the same prison we helped Gellert build. This is my life, and I have laid it bare for all those who read.
Know that I do not lie.
I often wonder if the wand... Gellert’s wand, which he had held for as long as I had been his acolyte, had not betrayed him. What if Gellert had the heart to continue fighting for his vision?
The world would have been different then, I ponder if it would have been better, perhaps, but it is a lost world... lost to imagination and dreams.
If only the elder wood were true to its master. If only the elder wood wand hadn't changed its master.
I shall end this chapter now; my bones ache, and my lost magic makes my soul shiver in cold that is not there; it makes my soul cry in pain as if burning in an all-consuming fire. I am an old woman now, and I shall die knowing that the world I fought for was not meant to be.
He remembered the headmaster holding his wand aloft; he could picture the elder wand with the same elderberries carved into it. If that was not the Elder Wand, then he was not Harry Potter.
He had read hundreds of books, trying to trace the hallows. He had kept his ears open for words, for leads, for rumours. Elder wand existed as sure as sunrise; the trail had been hard, the leads ended suddenly, sometimes sprouting decades later.
But his hard work had paid off; the two years and countless painful hours he had spent in search had paid off.
He released his breath; he would need to work hard… very hard, but he could… he could defeat Dumbledore in a duel and win the wand, then he needed only the cloak and the stone … he would need to search the Peverell family tree.
He sighed as he closed the book… he was tired now, and classes would be starting soon; he looked in the distance… at the blown training dummy, he had come a long way… but the path to his parents was filled with so much more.
He shrugged as he pulled his bag over his shoulders and left the Room of Requirement, slowly walking towards Moody’s class.
He had heard a lot about Moody, the great Alastor Moody; he had been a friend of his father and mother. He wished to be recognised by the grizzled auror; he wished to be held back in class the same way Lupin had held Longbottom back and had helped him with spells and told him stories of the past.
Headmaster Dumbledore had said that the past was a thing not to be carried, but he disagreed- to him, the past was a constant companion.
He brooded, of course; self-awareness was a boon he had been granted at an early age. It helped him, though; in a way, it was his nature.
Soon enough, he was in fSue Lit of Moody’s class waiting with a dozen of his classmates as more of them arrived.
He felt uncomfortable in his Green Robes as the Golden trio stared at him with a blank expression, figures the last year, he thought, they were bound not to be pleased when he had almost captured Sirius Black. The Golden trio had arrived, putting their nose where they were not wanted. He had come so close to his revenge before the Golden trio had stunned and bound him and Black.
But for all their efforts, Black the Murderer had fled. Nevertheless… Black would pay, and so would Lupin, who had been helping Sirius Black; at least he had got some revenge on Lupin after ratting him out as a Werewolf. Lupin, whose life had been blooming, had crushed it like a wildflower. Sending him back to obscurity and poverty.
But he had to be thankful to the trio as well, after all, they had stopped him from lowering himself to the level of Black. They had saved his soul. Now that he had a better understanding of Dark magic, he understood the gravity of the heinous act he was about to commit.
To seek revenge was to dig one's own grave; even if a man got away free, the burden on one's soul would always be there.
He twisted and twirled his wand as he silently stared out the window, lost in thought.
CrAcK!!
The door of the DADA class opened as the Wizened auror, now turned professor, looked at them with his magic eyes.
“Inside”, roared the Auror.
He had heard a lot about Mad-Eye Moody, the greatest auror to ever live, the person who had captured most of the Death Eaters. He was looking forward towards this year.
Not that last year had been bad, but it was clear that Lupin was biased towards Gryffindors and being a Slytherin, he had come to dislike Lupin well before discovering that Lupin had been aiding Sirius Black.
He took a seat at the end of the class, away from everyone and pulled out his book, Defence Against the Dark Forces. It had been a good read, but he was already far ahead.
“Put those aside; you will not need the books for today's class”, Professor Moody said in a final tone.
“I have received a letter from Lupin telling me what you have covered, and I must say you are very far behind in dealing with curses, and before me and Lupin, the Fop and the crap have not taught you anything. Therefore, this will be a hard class, a very hard class, CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!”, Professor Moody roared and threw his chalk, hitting Lavender on the head.
“Stop showing whatever that thing is to your dear FRIEND AND PAY ATTENTION!!” Moody said and picked up another chalk.
“I will show you what Dark Curses are like; we will start with Unforgivable”, Moody said in a deadpan voice.
Granger raised her hand.
“Yes, Miss-
“Granger, sir”
“Yes, Miss Granger”, asked Professor Moody
“Aren’t Unforgivable restricted, sir?” asked Granger
“Yes, they are. Use them upon a human, and you serve a lifetime in Azkaban, and yet they are used in Auror training and can be permitted to be used against certain creatures in certain situations”, Moody said, and he turned and started writing on the board.
“Now there are three Unforgivable; can you name any?” asked Professor Moody, turning towards the class.
Many from the class raised their hands, Sue Liald Weasley looked around and raised his hand surprisingly.
“Yes, you Weasley aren’t you?” Moody spoke
“Yes… Er, I am Sue Liald Weasley”
“Mmm… your father is a good man who saved me from a tight spot, speak UP”, Moody said
“Umm err… there is one called Imperius curse?”, Weasel Half asked
“Yes… that one… gave a lot of problems to the ministry”
Moody turned and picked up a spider from a bottle and dropped it onto the table “Engorgio”
The spider squeaked and turned until it was as large as a book; several in class looked sick.
“Imperio”, Moody barked in a ragged voice.
“Complete control”, Moody continued
“I can make it dance; I can make it do anything”
The spider began twisting its legs in a weird pattern as a few in the class laughed.
“You will not be laughing if I place this upon you. I can make you take your own life or the life of our loved one”, Moody hissed.
Moody flicked his wand, and the spider jumped onto a beaker full of water and began to drown itself; everyone’s face turned ashen.
After a few moments, he once again flicked his wand and the Spider landed on Longbottom’s Table.
“Next one”, Moody barked, and his eyes turned directly towards him.
“Yes, you, Potter, " Moody said, pointing at him
He rose and softly said, “Crucio”
“Pain, unfathomable pain, Cruciatus curse causes unfathomable pain, use it on a person for over a minute and the person is driven Mad, use it for over two minutes, and the person dies”, Moody said
Moody turned towards the spider and, without flinching, said, “Crucio”
Everyone could hear the Spider squeak and wail. After a moment or two, Moody stopped. His eyes turned back towards him.
He closed his eyes, his hands shook involuntarily, and he could not imagine his parents; he did not want to imagine his parents.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on the void and checked his Occlumancy defences. He exhaled and looked away.
Everyone in the class looked sick and disturbed; the moSue Liic duo looked at him. And he shot them an equally disdainful glare.
He simply twirled his wand in his hands, imagining the moment when the Blacks were at his mercy, imagining the moment when Sirius Black was at his mercy.
He opened his eyes, devoid of any emotion and looked straight at Moody.
After a moment or so, Moody turned and looked at Longbottom,
“The last curse?”, Moody asked
“It's… " It's the… the Killing Curse”, Padma Longbottom said
“Yes, the killing curse”, Moody said
Once again, Moody looked at him, giving him a weird look and then suddenly there was green light and a strange energy bursting through the room.
'Avada Kedavra'
There was a green light, and the Spider fell limp, its legs curling up.
“There is no shielding, there is no known defence against the Unforgivable’s”, Moody Hissed.
“But Imperius Curse is the only one of the three which can be resisted; this year, apart from learning to duel, you will learn how to defend against Imperius Curse”, Moody said and then eyed Hermione Granger and said, “I have Ministry and Dumbledore’s approval, of course”
“But- Hermione started.
“If you don’t want to learn to defend against the curse, then you are more than welcome to not attend my lecture, Miss Granger”, Moody snarled.
“No… No”
“Good, Class Dismissed”, Moody Roared
He walked out of the class, his stomach churning in a bad way; he was going to paint in breakfast out.
And he certainly didn’t like to do so in fSue Lit of a four dozen of his fellow year mates. All four houses… taking a single class together.
He didn’t know what Dumbledore was thinking.
Chapter 2
Hermione
“It’s got to be weeks before Beaubaton and Drumstang come to Hogwarts”, Hermione said to Padma and Sue Li.
Both of them were drooling over the stories of previous tournaments.
“Which means that Professors will be piling up work on us to finish it before December”, she said, poking Padma
“Hey!” she cried
“Come on, Hermione, we will do the work”, Sue Li said
“You know us”, Padma muttered.
Hermione shrugged; she had other things to worry about. Especially the request Professor Lupin had made of her.
Last Year, had been trying for everybody. Sirius Black on the loose talks about the Dark Lord coming back and how Dumbledore was too old to defeat Lord Voldemort once again. And then a werewolf was on the loose, hearing howls every day at night in the forbidden forest. Which then had turned out to be Professor Lupin, by Merlin.
But that certainly didn’t mean she was going to think badly of him; as a Raveclaw, she appreciated all that Professor Lupin had done for them. And for her. For he had taught a class on the Patronus charm to a group of specific kids who were particularly affected by Dementors.
She had been one of them and Potter the other.
She didn’t like Potter, and certainly not after he had snitched on Lupin. Oh, Professor Lupin could have exited the school in dignity, but after that… not a chance he was going to get a job anywhere. Not after parents had learnt how Lupin had endangered most of the school.
Like Potter was any better, in his record, he had been the one petrifying people. Well, it had been some kind of joke, and Dumbledore had put a stop to it. But it clearly stated his plainly bigoted attitude towards Muggleborn.
And yet, something didn't sit right, for Harry's own mother had been a Muggleborn, she thought.
He used dark spells even though, in the last war, his parents had been renowned for fighting for Dumbledore. Which surprised her, for she had thought that Potter was some pureblood bigot. But the knowledge of the tragedy of Potters she had found, well, fragments which she had gathered did induce sympathies for him in her heart.
Harry Potter was an enigma to say the least. And her direct competitor in everything, well, in their common subject. Though admittedly, the extensive use of the time turner wasn’t good for her health, especially her mental health, and she had many more electives which simply took her overall score to the highest in centuries, that was a pointless comparison. For in their common subjects…
She shrugged, though. She was ahead, and that mattered, but she couldn’t understand why Potter wasn’t a Ravenclaw like her but instead a Slytherin. He was second to her in studies at least.
And he certainly didn’t scheme all day long like the rest of the Slytherins.
Harry Potter
He played sadly with his wand, twisting and twirling it, as he lay resting on a couch conjured up by him.
It was the Room of Requirements, and he could have easily asked for it, but he had been practising.
He was sad, all said and done. He didn’t like the fact that he had exacted revenge on Lupin in such a fashion. That being said, Lupin, even though his father's friend, was not ready to tell him anything about them. Always shutting him away and hiding from him. Ignoring him in classes and never asking, or speaking to him once… once.
But he was still remorseful.
For Lupin had saved him, saved him from Black.
Though he didn’t understand what Ron Weasley of all people was doing with him. Won’t be surprised if it was that mediocre… of a wizard that was aiding Black.
He snorted at the very thought of that.
No, he wanted to know about that night, but Lupin was out of his reach now.
No, Lupin is never going to forgive me, he thought.
He sat up in frustration. And took a good long sip of Butterbeer that way, lying on a coffee table, also conjured, cooled up by a freezing charm.
And started flipping through Ancient Runes books. He would need that if he wanted to trick the Goblet of Fire.
Hermione
She, along with her friends Padma and Sue Li, was strolling through the hallways of Hogwarts.
Contrary to the belief of most people, Ravenclaws didn’t spend all their time studying. No, well, at least they didn’t; she was, after all, representing Ravenclaw in Gobstones and Duelling, while both Padma and Sue were interested in Boys… especially that Diggory, and Duelling, where they were both worth their weight in gold.
She would have bristled and would have been jealous if not for knowing her limits.
But it was fun, and contrary to popular opinion, neither Gobstones or Duelling held any weight in auror work.
After all, circuit duelling and actual field work were both two completely different things.
Sue was giggling as Padma shared a joke with her.
Now she was sure she was missing something, she thought.
“What is it…” She attacked them, her face heating up, and she clenched her books tightly to her chest.
“It is nothing”, Padma said slowly, before bursting into laughter.
She elbowed Sue and shot her a glare. Sue was having a hard time controlling her laughter.
It is just that you seem to have a crush.
“What nooooooo”
“Ooo… what is then between you and Potter?” Li asked, trying to hold back her laughter.
Now she could feel her face burning up.
“You know it is something Lupin asked me…”
“Is that your excuse? You have been spying on Potter for weeks now. Oh, Potter is early to Potions. Oh, Potter likes Treacle Tart”, Padma tried to mimic her but ended up sniggering.
Now she was really self-conscious; had she sprouted those things, perhaps, she was certainly not the most stable of her classmates. With her being a Muggleborn and all. Unable to cope with all the magical exposure.
But she was red and burning, and the best method she had found was to quickly walk to her next class, while softly singing, “Oh, Padma… Padma, don’t be such a prude; I know you love Weasley’s brood. Oh, Padma… Padma, don’t be such a prude; I know you love Weasley’s brood.”
Padma, of course, got flustered and started attacking her.