DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except the OC characters.

The Prodigal Harry Potter

Harry is not the 'Boy-who-lived' but Neville is, both will be starting Hogwarts together like in the canon. He will be a Ravenclaw where he will strive to learn all he can about magic to be stronger and also avenge the death of his parents and godfather.

The prophecy will force nothing in this story. It will be as it should have been; a possibility rather than a sure thing.

Harry's strength will be believable, as in, anybody who works as hard as he does could achieve it. This is the case because he'll be strong in using magic available to everyone – he'll just be better at it because he worked for it.

Oh yeah, before you start going on about this story being done already, well read it first and make your own opinion about it later. This story line will be different from the other stories FLAMERS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED! REVIEWS ARE WELCOMED!

PROLOGUE

October 31st, 1991

Lord Voldemort, the self-proclaimed most powerful Dark Lord in over a century in the Wizarding history, marched his way powerfully to the target. In all of his travel during his youthful life, Voldemort was one never to trust such vacuous things as prophecy but as such if he was to ensure nothing hindered him on his way to conquering the British isle. But the moment his spy informed of the prophecy and how Dumbledore was taking steps to protect the potential candidates, he knew he had to act before it was too late.

At first he had thought of going after the Potters but he figured Dumbledore would be watching them too closely due to his own heritage being a half-blood. After much contemplation, he had decided to go after the Longbottoms; they posed as much of a threat as the Potters. For now he would deal with Longbottoms then he would go after the Potters.

Earlier today Pettigrew had informed him and his loyal supporters of the Potters location after being made being made the secret-keeper of the Potters; he knew it was more likely that the pure-blooded child would be his potential vanquisher especially if Dumbledore was to use him politically; he would garner more support from other pure-bloods than a half-blood would. 'Tonight the Boy must die!' He mused inwardly.

As the handsome yet imposing man walked through the small town, people were bustling around in costumes and holding lanterns for the Halloween celebration. 'Stupid Muggles' he thought inwardly as his lips curled in to a disgust. Approaching his target he could feel the ancient wards followed by the usual anti-apparition, anti-portkey and muggle-repelling wards of the Manor up ahead.

While he continued on, he mulled over on how lucky he was to have spies entrenched in the Order of Phoenix, a group led by the Leader of the light Albus Dumbledore. It was easy to plant spies there especially when the Old fool trusted people too blindly for his own good. His spies were quickly able to learn of the possible two candidates of the prophecy. He was expecting to encounter tough and impenetrable wards on his way to breach the Longbottom Manor, due to the fact that Dumbledore was the one who erected the wards to protect the candidates of the prophecy.

Normally he would have ignored such mundane things like a prophecy but the fact that Dumbledore was willing to believe so much in the prophecy, meant that he had to take action.

Lord Voldemort was pleasantly surprised when he reached the Manor to find that it was surrounded by weak wards apart from the broken Fidelius charm. 'Probably because of their trust in the Fidelius charm and their secret-keepers', he thought. The Fidelius charm was already broken the minute he had gotten the location from Edward Longbottom (Frank Longbottom's father) his body was dumped back in the Department of Ministry where he worked. With a flick of his wand the remaining wards came crashing down easily, blasting the front door to smithereens, he calmly strolled inside the Manor while lazily twirling his wand on his hand.

Sudden movement from the inside the house attracted his attention to the presence of Frank Longbottom, sneering inwardly at the pathetic attempts to stop him. He repelled the laughable attacks coming from the man considered as one of the most outstanding auror. He briefly considered toying with him, make him watch his precious child die in front of his eyes but decided against it. Seconds later he dispatched the man by turning his skin inside out.

He heading upstairs blasting the nursery door and stepped in to the room. The pathetic attacks from the woman inside the room standing in front of a crib were merely flicked away like flies before she was quickly disarmed.

Looking amused at her actions as she stood protectively between the Dark Lord and the crib He drawled, "Step aside woman it's not necessary for you to die, stand aside and I'll let you live". 'The chances of that happening are like the chances of Dumbledore joining the Dark Side', he added silently.

Realising that the Dark Lord was simply toying with her, she fell down her to knees and decided to plead with him. Hopefully she would be able to delay him a little longer until Albus arrived. "Not Neville, please, take me instead. He's just a baby; take me instead of him. I beg of you." The Dark Lord was busy thinking of ways to have fun with her before he dispatched the brat in front of him, when he was interrupted as he felt magic swirling around the baby while the woman kept chuntering "Not Neville, take me". He raised his wand, rushed in anticipation as he tried to quell the uneasiness he was feeling and quickly killed the mother, "Foolish girl, you should have stepped aside while you still had the chance."

He approached the crib and looked down at the small pudgy boy and started sneering at the baby while wondering if killing the baby was even worth his time and energy, suppressing the restlessness he was feeling; he raised his wand and paused in mid air as he was he hit with a brilliant idea. He raised his wand and pointed it near his heart and started incanting in ancient language before stopping and pointed the wand at the baby's head and for the second time that night and in that very same room uttered the words to end the boy's life.

"AVADA KEDAVRA".

The next minute a dark mist floated out of the room, leaving only the robes and wand of the Voldemort behind, together with a boy crying in his crib for the attention of his mother, with a lightning-bolt-shaped cut on his forehead.

As Neville was crying in his crib, a headmaster in the Northern part of Scotland noticed one of his many trinkets whistling. Surprised to see that Tom had gone after the Longbottom and not the Potters he quickly scribed a note and summoned his familiar, Fawkes, while mentally asking his familiar to take the note to Rubeus Hagrid and assist him if he needed help. Standing up from his seat, he made his way towards the fireplace and flooed to Madam Augustus Longbottom house.

Upon getting the note from Dumbledore, Hagrid quickly used Fawkes and flamed to Longbottom Manor, which was almost collapsing and reeked of Dark magic. Stepping inside he saw the dead body of Frank Longbottom and had to step aside and vomit all his dinner at the gruesome site in front of him. Few minutes later he managed to pull himself together and climbed up the shaky stairs in to the nursery room where the site of a dead Alice Longbottom met him, fearing the worst he approached the crib apprehensively, startled when he stepped on something soft he was shocked to see that he was stepping on Voldemorts robe. A small cry from the crib made him aware that not all was lost and the Longbottom baby was still alive. Picking up the baby from the crib, he quickly asked Fawkes to take them to Dumbledore.

Neville, though crying with a bloodied cut on his forehead was none the worse for wear was safely delivered to Dumbledore. Upon arriving Dumbledore was busy putting up finishing touches on the blood-wards he had created using ancient magic.

"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. I see Fawkes stayed behind to aasist you?"

"Yes she did, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant. "Great bird she is. I've got him, sir."

"No problems, were there? I see you've brought the child. What about his parents? Did they manage to survive?"

"No, sir — house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. But I did see You-know-who's pile of robes on the floor near this little fellow's crib. It's a shame that Frank and Alice didn't make it too."

"What about his wand? Did you see it?" Dumbledore questioned Hagrid.

"No Professor Dumbledore, sir." Replied the giant as he dusted himself.

Dumbledore and Augustus Longbottom bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. On his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.

"Is that where —?" whispered Augustus Longbottom.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."

"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well — give him here, Hagrid — we'd better get this over with."

Dumbledore took Neville in his arms and turned the baby towards Augustus Longbottom. "I have erected wards on your house using ancient magic, blood-wards to be precise. You are the only living relative of Neville. As long as Neville stays here, he will be protected from people with bad intention towards him. I trust you will raise him with a firm hand (seeing the old lady nod her head, Albus continued) Lord Voldemort is not truly gone and he will return, at some point Neville must be prepared. After all we wouldn't want the people's hero to be arrogant when he grows up." he said quietly.

"If you will excuse me I need to get to the ministry and inform them of this good news. The people need to know about Voldemort's demise after all we've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years. Do let me know in case of any trouble at all." said Dumbledore, nodding to Madam Longbottom he turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.

Augusta Longbottom assumed guardianship of her grandson Neville the following morning and would raise him as the next Lord Longbottom, the Boy-Who-Lived, and the people's Hero. This would ensure he would be placed in Gryffindor House as expected by the wizarding world and assume the role he was destined for to lead the people in the future against the coming darkness.

All over England, people raised their glasses "To Neville Longbottom, the boy-who-lived!"

Scene Break

Lucius Malfoy was a Slytherin for a reason; he was one who never hesitated using his slyness and cunningness to slither away from any tight situations. He may not be a good duelist but he preferred brains to brawns. Before the Dark Lord had left, he had called Lucius away from the others and told him where he was going and left him the second in command until he returned.

Later that night when the Dark Lord was gone to finish the baby brat of Longbottom's, his loyal followers were eagerly awaiting his return in the headquarters. Suddenly all the death eaters felt a sharp searing pain from the dark mark, taking a look at their dark marks they all noticed that it was fading.

Many scenarios ran in his mind before he called out, "You two Lestranges brothers, Bellartix, Barty Crouch Junior and Evan Rosier we need to go to Longbottom Manor; I fear something has happened to our Lord. The rest of you, disband and try to stay low until you are contacted." With that the blond man was gone with followed by the five named Death eaters.

Upon appearing near the Longbottom manor, they quickly surveyed the area making sure no one had spotted them before rushing inside the house to check on their master. Barking orders at the two Lestranges brothers making them guard downstairs, while the rest of them quickly crept upstairs to check for their master. Once inside the room, they quickly found their masters robe and his wand. Picking them up Lucius instructed his fellow death eaters to disband, hunt down the Potters and meet up later. With that they were gone leaving behind a pile of robes and two dead bodies.

Scene Break

Seven days later while the people raising toast to Neville 'The-Boy-Who-Lived', the Potter family with their friend Sirius Black were attacked by seven Death eaters after getting the location from Peter Pettigrew. Despite the numbers being against them James Potter, Sirius Black and Lily Evans Potter managed to reduce the number of the death eaters to four before they were completely overwhelmed and then the trios were subjected to Cruciatus curse mainly from Bellatrix, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange and Barty Crouch Junior. On the brink of insanity the trios were all killed using the 'Avada Kedavra'.

The aurors were late as usual but they were quickly able to apprehend the death eaters. Harry Potter had managed to witnessed the death of his father, mother and godfather when he was disillusioned by his mother before the death eaters had stormed in. The spell was broken with the death of his mother and he was quickly taken by the aurors and taken to number 4, Privet Drive in Little Whinging, Surrey to his aunt and uncle after they were given the coordinates by Albus Dumbledore.

Reading the death of his three best friends and learning that a certain rat had betrayed them led Remus in to an induced state of alcoholism as he tried to get over their deaths. He did not even want to think about their child, it still hurt him badly whenever he thought of them. This event led Remus to move in to the muggle world where he would start over and much easier for him to get a job and also be far from the prejudices of the wizarding world for being a werewolf with no job at all. He no longer had his best friend for over six years to protect him from the wizarding world prejudices. He needed sometime to heal over the loss of his pack; he was not ready to see their son yet.