Author's Note: Okay, let us begin with the first thing - this story is pretty much completed and the second thing is that this story takes place in an Alternative Universe. (Stories that fall into this definition are usually "what-ifs", where possibilities arising from circumstances, which do not occur in the original fictional universe, are explored). Disclaimer: I own nothing, except the ideas conjured during my own imaginings. Please Read & Review.
Summary: Seventeen years ago, James Potter vanished after he met with the Dark Lord and hasn't been seen since and Lily Potter was left alone to raise her only son Harry. But at the age of seventeen Harry Potter's world is about to change. He goes to school at Hogwarts, which is under the reign of Lord Voldemort himself and his Death Eaters. Will Harry be able to solve a seventeen year old mystery that is coming back from the past?
Prologue
The Potter Mansion, somewhere in Painswick, England.
The grand two-story white mansion stood hard, giant and imposing in the moonlight; at least all the lights were on inside, making it look as if it were watching the front garden. The front garden held countless different colours of roses as well as hedging. It also contained a large pebbled driveway, however there were no cars parked there. The manor stood to the far side off the southeast road and was unusually active.
Heaps of elegantly dressed people, men and women alike were arriving in great style. Their very impressive horse drawn carriages, shone in the darkness. The beginning of the night was overflowing with the sounds of chatter and horses' hooves on pebbles; still there was a hush of anticipation of what the night would bring.
The guests as anyone would assume they were, were gathered together and walked through the front garden. Whispering as they did so, some were talking merrily about how the garden looked spectacular.
"What do you think, my dear Alice? Doesn't the garden look almost as grand as the manor itself?" said a middle-aged man who wore a black tuxedo; he had a cheerful, but proud voice. The man glanced at his wife, who wore a silken red dress that flowed down around her. Her high heels clapped against the pathway that they had just stepped onto, and she replied.
"Yes, it is lovely. Hmm...Don't the roses smell nice, Frank."
The guests arrived at the double oak doors that had an engraved inscription on the surface: 'They are brave as lions, loyal as badgers, smart as ravens and cunning as snakes. They are powerful points; they are sparkling spears that shall never rust'. The double doors swung graciously open to reveal a butler, who worked for the manor's Mistress. The house elf, who smiled serenely at them, also accompanied him.
"Welcome, Ladies and Gentlemen to the Potter Mansion." The butler greeted with a French accent. The noblemen nodded, while their wives smiled pleasantly in return.
"May, I take your coat's gentlemen?" The butler asked formally.
After the gentlemen had handed over their coat's, they followed the house elf who introduced herself as Marina and had also informed the quests that the butler's name was Robert; if they should have any need of him.
Marina the House Elf led the quests through the foyer, which had a white marble floor with cream walls; decorated with portraits of family members that had passed on.
"I say" exclaimed a man with shoulder length white hair and wore a dark blue attire "Is that Gwendolyn the Glamorous?"
"Oh yes it is, Mr. Xenophilius Lovegood. She won the title of the most beautiful maiden in all the land when she was only nineteen." Marina replied "And over here, we have the three witch sisters: Bonita, Ophelia and Georgina. They were the daughters of Gwendolyn the Glamorous and Sir Louie Massey."
"Who is that in this portrait here?" asked a woman dressed in a lime green dress, she was pointing to a big long portrait of a man; he had dark brown hair, grey eyes and his face wore a small smile. He wore a white button down shirt, grey pants and an ivory cloak – in his right hand he held a mahogany staff that had a crystal ball on top, surrounded with jewels.
"Oh, that is Charlus Potter, Madam Andromeda Tonks. He was the only son of Richard Potter, who was the only Potter to marry into the Massey family. Charlus' mother was Georgina Massey." Marina replied, "At the age of 45 in 1729 he had his only son – James Potter to his wife Dorea Black. However, we all know the story of James Potter, of his gallantry and his bravery as he fought against the dark forces."
Marina paused to catch some air then continued, "Therefore, we come to the reason you are all gathered here tonight. James Potter married Lily Evans and on the 31st of July 1980, his son Harry Potter was born. Now seven years later, it is July 31st 1987, and tonight we celebrate Master Harry's seventh birthday."
They talked for a few more minutes, as the guests were led out of the foyer and into a long hallway, until they finally reached the double glass doors at the end.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the ballroom" announced Marina as she swung the doors open and let the guests enter. In the ballroom, the floor was black and white marble and the walls were a nice light shade of grey. In the middle of the ceiling there was a big glowing, magical orb that changed colours and showered the entire room in multicoloured lights.
A man in a suit stepped forward to introduce the mistress of the manor. "Thank you all for coming to this very special occasion, as you all know today is the day that a little boy named Harry turned seven. And I would like for you all to wish him a happy birthday, now I would like to introduce the mistress of this here grand manor: Lily Potter".
The night went well; there were many greetings and wishes of have a "Happy Birthday" to a small boy, who could not stop smiling at everyone. The birthday party lasted four hours, it was a wonderful affair; there was lots of dancing, laughter and smiles. Especially on Harry's young face, he had bright green eyes - quite like his mother, with dark brown hair it was almost black that stuck up haphazardly – which truly showed the face of his ancestors. His mother Lily, who had long auburn hair that cascaded down her back, settled down next to him as he opened his presents. He got a book "The Tales of Beedle the Bard", a beginner's potion making kit for children, a glass orb that showed any place in the world if you said the place name and so many other wondrous things.
When everyone had left the manor, except for the two who lived there, the mistress Lily Potter led her now seven-year-old boy to bed. The room was quite large for a bedroom, which only housed a small boy of seven years. The room contained two huge bookcases filled with weird and amazing books about magic, a writing desk with six drawers that contained a stack of parchment, quills and two bottles of ink. The walls of the room were a fine baby blue colour, which matched the bed spread on Harry's four-poster bed.
"Mother, may you tell me a story about my father?" asked Harry politely, who now sat up in his bed. His mother sat beside him, in an old rocking chair she had once used to rock her only son to sleep in.
"Well, alright then, only one though" she replied softly. Lily was an elegant woman, however she cared less for the finer things that marrying into the Potter family had given her and cared more for her family than anything else.
With her mesmerising emerald eyes, Lily gazed upon her precious son. She could look at you and it would feel as if she were looking right into you, piercing your very soul.
"Seven years ago, all the way back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There was a young man named James Potter, who everyone in Gryffindor called 'the brave one', those in Ravenclaw doubted his intelligence and called him an idiot in less polite terms, the Slytherin's more than agreed and the Hufflepuff's didn't have much to say, preferring to keep their mouths shut. This is a story I will always remember, for he was almost killed by Voldemort.
Your father was surrounded by all of his foes. One false move or mistake would mean his death, for all his enemies were wizards like himself. They had their wands trained upon him, and then one came forth wand raised ready to kill. The darkest wizard of them all; Lord Voldemort, walked smoothly up to him - he seemed to glide on black smoke. Now Voldemort was called a lord but only because that is what he named himself as, he was never a lord or a noble by blood. However since he practiced the Dark Arts vigoursly, many referred to him and still do as a Dark Lord." Lily said, before she was interrupted.
"Wow, this Lord Voldemort sounds powerful" Harry said awed by the possible amount of power this wizard could have.
"Oh, the dark lord was powerful, still is". Lily replied gently, "Nevertheless, James knew he had to escape, he had to protect his new family.
Therefore, he had to do the only thing, which the other wizards could not stop, so he did something they did not expect, he pulled a very ancient pureblood magic trick. He summoned a thick mist to roll in and surround him, and once the mist had cleared, there was no sign of James anywhere. He had vanished, and to this day no one has seen or heard from him".
Lily finished the story there, for there was nothing else to be told and another reason was that a solitary tear had escaped her eye.
Where ever was James? No one knew, but all Lily knew was that he was alive and well. Her gut-instinct told her this. She often wondered what James was waiting for. Waiting for what they did not know, maybe it was for the right moment to show himself?
Therefore, when it comes down to it, the truth of the matter is that no one truly knows where one famous James Potter really roams.
