Prologue:
Blood.
A pool of crimson that spread from the mutilated body that lay amongst the debris of the battlefield. The neon signs reflecting upon the gruesome puddle.
His hands, when he lifted them, were covered completely in the life giving liquid. And he knew, without looking, that the rest of him was covered in the same thing.
The wailing reached his ears next.
Children's voices cried out in fear, frustration and desperation. Their cries assaulted his ears and he turned to see that all around him, London had become a bog of dead children, their bodies filling the streets and the stench of rotting flesh filling his nostrils.
He knew what was coming next, but it never prepared him for the moment they all came to their feet, jerking like puppets on strings.
Their sightless eyes turned on him, and he could feel the recrimination in their stares. His protests had died long ago, and now he merely dropped his head in an admission of guilt. They would drown him in their innocent blood and tears, and he could do nothing to stop them.
Clammy hands started to scrabble at his flesh, dragging him into the gaping pit of human debris that they would drown him in. The cloying liquid surrounded him and he knew it would be mere moments before he would have to breathe and the filth and shit and blood and tears would force itself into his throat and he would drown in it...
A sudden burst of light hurt his corneas straight through his closed eyelids.
It chased away the human filth and lifted him from the pit, depositing him into a gagging trembling heap onto a patch of soft grass.
A hand- far too soft to belong to anyone he knew- lifted his chin as a sweet female voice spoke from within the light.
"Awake, Heir of the Lotus Tree."
Harry Potter shot upright in his makeshift bed.
Sweat glimmered as the moonlight shone on his young, wiry body as he panted helplessly into the balmy air of the abandoned warehouse that surrounded him.
Running a shaky hand through his hair as he let out a whispered curse, he looked about himself as though the darkness were about to leap into action and reenact his nighttime terrors. Not that tonight's had followed the usual rules.
Never before had he been saved from drowning.
Never before had he heard a woman's voice in his head before.
Well, not one that hadn't been recriminating in any case.
And yet, he was just as sweaty and messed up as he usually was. With a sigh he fell back onto his bedding roll, weary but perfectly aware that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. A few of the tattoos covering his left arm glowed, letting off a little of the magical discharge caused by the thudding of his heart and shortness of his breaths.
Once he got his heartbeat and breathing under control he stretched, before clambering from his little nest and setting to work packing up everything that he'd unpacked last night.
It was early enough for him to get some of his odd jobs done before he turned up at the Claw and Dragon.
He finally snagged up his loose pirate style shirt, lacing it up with the ease of long practice and unwound the thong from his left wrist to tie up his shaggy shoulder length hair. The front parts always came loose and hung around his face, but he was no good at cutting hair, it would have to wait for the new school year.
One last glance around assured him that he had forgotten nothing, and he shouldered his duffel bag before he headed towards the door.
London wasn't awake yet this early and the breeze that cut through the air was thick with the promise of autumn, but not yet cold enough for him to need any more layers.
His feet led him toward his destination with a sureness that his mind did not have. The dream had unsettled him. He was used to the nightmares going one way- any kind of change never bode well. The last few times it had changed had involved harrowing near death escapades.
Merlin, was one peaceful year too much to ask?
"Harry!" A feminine voice dragged him from his thoughts and he shot a half-hearted smile at the petite lady in the washed out brown dress, her once white peasants blouse bearing having had yet another patch added to it since he had seen her yesterday.
"Tsk. You look like hell." She said, her tired mouth pursing and her faded blue eyes assessing him with at true mothers touch. Harry merely shot her a sheepish glance. With a sigh she beckoned him inside with her broom. "In with you then, help Nanna and Adrienne."
A nod, and then he was stepping into the small bakery where an elderly lady was busy kneading dough and a girl of around nine was spilling little drops of flour as she dragged a sack that was almost her size across the floor.
Upon seeing him, the girl let the sack of flour drop and ran toward him with a delighted squeal. Harry grinned as he grabbed her up, lifting her above his head before bestowing a sweet kiss on her forehead.
"Ah, Harry, you're here. I need you to make the dough for the dragon rolls- Adrienne, let Harry do his job. Have you set out all the ingredients for the doughs we'll need?"
"No Nanna." The little girl pouted as Harry set her down, but giggling when he gave her hair a quick pat.
Around them, London began to wake.
HP-BaB-HP
By the time Harry sat down with his breakfast of a dragon roll stuffed with cheese and bacon it was three hours and seven batches after dawn. The Kneazle Bakery wasn't a huge place, but its dragon rolls and little enchanted cupcakes were well known throughout Merlin Square.
Merlin Square itself was just outside of London, and as such a far larger neighbourhood than Diagon Alley.
Whereas Diagon Alley had a limited amount of shops- specialist shops for things like quidditch, potions and wands- Merlin Square had the more mundane everyday things that magical folks had. Like bread, green grocers, healers, tailors... and a street dedicated to pubs from every nation.
It was a poorer neighbourhood, and one where it was easy for one boy to lose himself in for three months. People here liked good workers- age was nothing but a number to the people.
And the flats that were situated above the stores were a lot cheaper than accomodation in Diagon Alley.
"Harry! Look! I made a dragon roll myself!" Adrienne cried as she ran over to him with her own plate. The dragon roll she was referring to was an admittedly good likeness to the fiery creatures, but its movements were limited to a jerky sort of nod and a lifted paw instead of the proper rearing, walking and fire breathing range. Still, Harry remembered his first tries and grinned at her as she sat on the bench next to him.
Adrienne continued to chat all through their breakfast, with Harry making the right hums at the right times, and they both ended up being scolded by Nanna for their tardiness in coming back into the kitchen.
Still, as the day drew on and Harry and Adrienne and Nanna baked, he found himself wistful at the thought of leaving this kitchen behind for a new school year. He enjoyed listening to the innocent prattles of a nine year old, and the smell of baking goods was a comforting one.
Here there were no games and hare brained schemes.
The only danger was kneading the dough too roughly and not getting a proper rise.
By the time evening rolled around Harry had thought himself into a bit of a slump, one that Adrienne seemed to catch on to as they doused the ovens for the night.
"Harry." She tugged at his sleeve, her large brown eyes looking into his. "Are you going to school again?"
Harry sat back onto his heels and nodded grimly at her. It seemed that she was becoming aware of the fact that summer holidays ended, and then they would spend months apart.
Her brown eyes teared up and a single drop fell down, quickly swept away by Harry's fingers.
"I don't want you to go though. I miss you!"
Harry gave her a shaky smile of his own, before he hugged her, letting her sob softly into his shoulder.
He was concious of both Nanna and Sabrina coming into the kitchen, before retreating for a bit, allowing Harry and Adrienne to say their goodbyes in peace.
When Adrienne had stopped her little hiccupping sobs into his shoulder he pulled back and smiled as he took headed for his duffel, taking out the little unicorn he'd carved for her. A happy gasp escaped her as the unicorn became animated in her palm, and then Harry was treated to another hug.
"Oh, that's pretty honey." Sabrina smiled as she came back into the kitchen and was assailed by her daughter's chatter about the gift. "Did you say thank you?"
"Yes Mommy!"
Sabrina's smile was pure motherly love as she sent her daughter upstairs for a bath.
"Thank you Harry." The smile this time was more tired, but no less genuine as she handed him the little bundle of cloth containing his wages- leftover goodies from the bakery which would last him the train ride to Hogwarts. "I hope we'll be seeing you again next summer- at the very least for Adrienne's sake."
Harry ducked his head as an acquiescence.
"Good. Now- sleep well and don't get into any of your usual trouble, you hear me?" Another nod and then she was hugging him. "Be good Harry. We'll all miss the man in our lives."
"Hmp. You're smothering him woman!" Nanna's voice grumped from behind them. "Come Harry, or we'll be late for our shifts at the Claw and Dragon."
Harry gave Sabrina one last one armed hug before he hurried out behind Nanna, who promptly shoved a jingling coin bag and a carton of cigarettes into his arms. She gave him an evil look as she lit her own cigarette, as though daring him to comment on her gifts.
One thing about the oldest of the Kneazle girls, she hated being called on her caring side.
So Harry merely smiled at her and lit his first smoke of the day.
It was heaven.
Pure and simple heaven.
Every year it got harder and harder to remember why he went back to school.
He was going to miss this.
HP-BaB-HP
A/N: Okay, I know I've dumped you right in the middle of an AU with very little along the lines of explanation, but if you trust me then all answers shall be given to you.
For an explanation of the timeline you want to refer to chapter 4- 'The Trial of Hermione Jean Granger', if you feel really impatient. I wouldn't recommend it that you skip to that chapter though.
Also: WARNINGS that apply to this fic: Smoking (No, I don't think it's cool. But it is a plot device as well as something to show character growth.), molestation, violence, gore, rampant silliness, angst, allusions to homosexuality and swearing. There will be no slash in this story.
There will always be warnings before the gore or any other traumatic experiences, so you're able to skip them.
If any of these things are not your cup of tea, then please leave it for others to enjoy. :D