Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended - Harry Potter is the world of J.K. Rowling - I'm just building my sandcastles in the air...

A/N: Okay - so this is my first chapter - I know the writing style is not that great - still rusty after not writing for a while. Just to tell you - the changes in this storyline are NOT ONLY the family Harry goes to live with, but a whole load more... :D If you like it - please review - criticism of any sort is appreciated... :) Thanks!

Chapter 1

The sky was a myriad of reds, oranges and yellows as the sun set in the Scottish highlands that was home to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Albus Dumbledore, its Headmaster, however, was unable to enjoy this splendor as he, like every other Head before him, was burdened with the task of running a school about which even he knew little about. He was busy going over a new addition to the Defense Against the Dark Arts syllabus which was "controversial" according to the Board of Governors – and who better to judge, than the most respected wizard in the world?

He was just getting around to the last couple of pages when a shrill alarm that sounded like the wail of a banshee sounded from one of the instruments on his mantlepiece. At the same time, the instrument, which was in the shape of a large glass globe with various protrusions coming out at various angles, turned a bright red from the former clear blue it had possessed. Dumbledore looked up, startled. The moment he saw the instrument which had caused the disturbance – and still was – he pulled out his wand and called out.

"Fawkes – Godric's Hollow!"

There was a bright flash of light, a glimpse of golden feathers, and Albus Dumbledore was no longer in Hogwarts.

Dumbledore had no time to catch his breath as he appeared just outside the gates of Godric's Hollow as a dozen Death Eaters, all wearing white masks and hoods to conceal their identities, shot an array of lethal curses at him. Whirling around in his robes, Dumbledore disappeared from the spot and reappeared behind them catching some of them unaware with a couple of Stunners. The rest turned around in haste to retaliate and just as they were about to fire their curses, they dropped down to the ground clutching their upper-arms in agony.

Simultaneously, Godric's Hollow literally exploded behind Dumbledore. Turning around while conjuring up the strongest shield charm he could, Dumbledore watched as the Potter's safe house was destroyed in front of his eyes. Flying bits of debris, including bits and pieces of furniture crashed into his shield and were reflected. Suddenly remembering that he had been in the middle of a battle, Dumbledore turned around to no avail – the Death Eaters had disapparated out of Godric's Hollow and taken their fallen comrades with them.

Ignoring his old age, Dumbledore sprinted in to the cottage, and entered the living room. The room was in flames – magically induced flames – and to the great horror of Dumbledore, it also graced the body of a certainly lifeless James Potter. 'Certainly lifeless' because the flames licking at his forehead from a collapsed ceiling didn't seem to mind him the least.

Floating the body out of the way and casting a stasis charm on it in a hurry, Dumbledore hurried up the stairs that led to baby Harry's room. There, he was met with the even more disturbing sight of a lifeless Lily, her eyes wide open and hands outstretched – a pleading expression on her face – slumped down in front of the crib that held Harry. A few feet from the crib it was Voldermort. But not in a form that Dumbledore had ever seen.

The most feared wizard since the reign of Grindewald was lying dead on the floor of a nursery. For a moment Dumbledore thought that the Prophecy had come to play much earlier than he had deemed it would. But, no. Dumbledore knew that no matter what would happen to Voldemort's physical body – he would return to the world of the living. Dumbledore put a stasis charm on Tom's body – the Unspeakables would love to work on a body that mangled in the Dark Arts.

Dumbledore's worst fears were dispelled – and confusion rushed in – when he heard the weak sound of a baby crying. Casting the same charms he had on James, on Lily, Dumbledore strode up to the crib with a heavy and confused heart.

Little Harry, just a year old, was bleeding. Bleeding out of a fresh lightning bolt shaped scar that was on his forehead. It was not a wonder the boy was crying. Fawkes, who had perched on his shoulder since the Flash, fluttered down to the boy's forehead, trilled and cried a tear. A tear that seemed to heal all wounds – for just as soon as the cut healed – leaving an angry red scar, Harry stopped crying and stared with wide, piercing green eyes at the majestic phoenix, just inches above his face.

"Well, Albus, there seems to be nothing wrong with him that I can find. His scar seems to be teeming with magic – although that would probably because of his recent incident." Poppy Pomfrey said, huddling the bundle of blankets that was a sleeping Harry. "I can take care of him for now – I'm sure you need to be at Godric's Hollow right now."

Albus nodded. "Thank you, Poppy. Please inform Minerva of what has occurred. I will send along James and Lily's bodies in a short while. Keep Harry safe." And he disappeared once more with a flash of gold.

Godric's Hollow, having been put in a stasis charm due to the fire looked like a picture that someone had taken of a beautiful cottage gone to ruin. Dumbledore removed the stasis and immediately set to extinguishing the flames – which turned out to be a rather difficult task due to the magically induced nature of the flames. Once he had finished, he set to conjuring two stretchers for the bodies of Lily and James which he sent to the Hospital for Poppy to take care.

Seeing as he had done all he could to take care of the ruin in the property after casting several Reparos, Dumbledore set on extracting the Visions from the Vision Wards he had erected throughout the cottage. Conjuring up crystal flasks to hold the memories he was gathering from the Vision Wards, Dumbledore roamed the cottage, collecting all available memories from the Wards. His last stop was Harry's bedroom.

Voldemort's body lay on the floor, still unmoving. It had every indication of death by the Killing Curse, but Dumbledore was still unsure as to what had happened. He had his theories of course, but none could come close to explaining how Voldemort had ended up dead. He magicked it away from the cottage into his own laboratory – he would hand it to the Unspeakables later. There was work to be done now.

That was when he saw how badly damaged the room was. It appeared as if the only thing holding the room together was a column and a wall. A good portion of the wall that had contained the door had been blown apart and the floor was cracked and baked. It was power of the form that rarely occurred. Dumbledore understood that something truly amazing must have happened within the room if Harry had survived. It was not like Voldemort to be inept at casting his favourite curse.

When Dumbledore Flashed in to his office, he was not surprised to find both Severus and Minerva already seated and waiting for him. They stood up the moment they saw him. Minerva looked the worst for wear – her eyes looked puffy and swollen and she seemed to be trembling nervously. Severus on the other-hand, appeared calm and cool – but Dumbledore who had known him for his entire life at Hogwarts, saw the deep sadness that was in his eyes. Yes, thought Dumbledore, it would certainly hurt Severus even more than Minerva.

"Severus. Minerva. I trust young Harry is still asleep?" Both of the Heads of Houses nodded. "I have here, the memories of the Vision Wards that I erected. I assume both of you would like to know what happened at Godric's Hollow tonight." They nodded again.

"Very well then. Let us use my Penseive."

Snape purposefully strode over to the cabinet that housed the Penseive and retrieved it, placing the bowl in the middle of Dumbledore's desk – the new DADA syllabus lying on the floor where Minerva had swept it to. Dumbledore enlarged the Penseive so that it was large enough for all three of their faces, and then emptied the eight crystal flasks he had filled. Using his wand, he brought to the surface the memories in the order they would have happened. The three of them immersed their faces in the cool ethereal surface.

They were in the living room of Godric's Hollow. But this time, it was a perfectly normal living room save for the broomstick which was hovering about a foot in the air with little Harry on it being chased by James. James caught Harry, lifted him and spun him around – laughing – and handed him to Lily. "Call me if you need any help putting the tyke to sleep, OK?" James said flopping down on the couch throwing his wand at the adjacent seat. Lily nodded and went up the stairs.

James idled about, pulling out a snitch and playing with it (to which Severus snorted), when suddenly the door burst open and Voldemort strode in. James jumped to his feet, the snitch forgotten, and screamed, "LILY, TAKE HARRY AND RUN! I'LL KEEP HIM BUSY!" But James had jumped to his feet without his wand, and just as he realized it, Voldemort laughed a high, cold, laugh and cursed. "Avarda Kedavra!" A stinging green jet of light burst out of Voldemort's wand shot James directly in the chest. And before James had fallen to the ground, with a swishing of robes, Voldemort was already climbing the stairs.

The room faded and was replaced by the entrance to the first floor. Voldemort strode up the stairs purposefully randomly casting destructive hexes at the house As soon as he came up the stairs, he blew apart the door that was between him and Lily and Harry. Voldemort walked calmly into the room where Lily had cast the strongest shield charm she could muster.

"Stand aside silly girl! You know who I'm here for."

"NO! Please NO! Not Harry!" Lily screamed, throwing the fastest set of Stunners and Bludgeoning Hexes she could muster. Voldemort batted them away with a couple of shields and cast his favourite Unforgivable Curse.

Dumbledore felt Severus stiffen next to him.

Stepping over the dead Lily Potter, Voldemort stepped up to the crib – Harry having stood up, holding the railing for support. Harry and Voldemort stared at each other for a short moment – until Harry started crying. It was then that Voldemort got out of his stupor and cast the Killing Curse.

The memory went dark as soon as the sickly green touched Harry's skin.

The two Professors and the Headmaster surfaced from the bowl, their faces not a drop wet.

"I'm afraid the memory ends there. The Vision Wards were overloaded with magic beyond that point." Dumbledore explained.

Severus turned around and without a word, swept out of the room. Even his ever billowing cloak was trailing along the floor.

Minerva stared after him.

"Should I - "

"It is alright Minerva, he needs time."

Minerva nodded.

"So what is to become of Harry?"

Dumbledore sighed. "It is obvious that Harry needs a family to grow up with. I am sure that Pomfrey can mind him for the moment. But, what thereafter?"

Three days later found Albus Dumbledore out on the streets of Privet Drive. The Wizarding World was still – two days later – celebrating the Ministry's announcement that the world was rid of the evil styling himself Voldemort. But Dumbledore knew better than to celebrate – he knew Tom all too well.

Today, Dumbledore was observing a couple of families that he, as temporarily assigned guardian by the Joint Will of the Potters, was considering promising foster families for Harry. From what he had seen of the Dursleys, Lily's and Harry's only living relatives, no one in their right mind would trust them with an innocent child. Shaking his head, Dumbledore disapparated.

Albus Dumbledore was troubled. The Weasleys seemed like an ideal family – and the fact that Ronald, would be in the same year as Harry at Hogwarts was an additional point in favour of the Weasleys as a foster home – but the Weasleys were spread too thin. The overwhelming number of brothers might also not prove a positive factor in the development of Harry.

The Longbottoms were no longer an option – the Lestranges had seen to that. The other families were not an option due to various factors – and that left Dumbledore with only one other option, but one that he envisioned would provide an enlightening education to Harry before his school years. The Lovegoods.