Disclaimer: Yeah, you all know I don't own anything.
Summery: Harry's brother is claimed to be the wrong 'boy-who-lived' just like the rest of the stories go. But when Harry is seven he and Anthony fight and Harry is thrown into Azkaban in because he is said to harbor a piece of Voldemort's soul. This is where it all begins.
The Shadows
Prologue
"Lily they'll be fine." James tried to calm his overly nervous wife as they prepared for their night out. It would be their first night away from their children, Anthony and Harry, since they were born. Lily nodded trying to convince herself that this was a good idea but in the pit of her stomachs she felt as if something was going to happen. Something bad and the prophecy that Dumbledore had told them a few months ago wasn't helping calm her nerves.
She stood walking to the nursery in the next room. Anthony was sitting in the center of the room on the plush blue carpet playing with his toys. Harry was sitting in his crib staring out the window. Lily started at her youngest son for awhile. His eyes were the same as hers. Dark and green. They held a spark to them that Lily had never seen in any other child. Harry was pale. The palest child she had ever seen in her twenty years. On top of his head he had the same black mop as his father. The tuff of hair stood in all places. Harry was truly a remarkable child. He stood out and appeared so abnormal compared to his red haired hazel eyed older brother. Harry was quiet. He knew how to speak, Lily knew he could, but had a way of communicating through his eyes.
Anthony, on the other hand, was the loudest member of the household there was. He screamed non-stop since he got home. For everything he screamed. For his bottle, his pacifier, his blanket, his food. It was horrible. The Potters never got a moments rest. And when he found out how to talk he spoke about everything.
"Don't worry about them Mrs. Potter." Elena, the elderly baby-sitter from next door said lovingly as she picked up Harry. The boy looked up at her and gave her a wide smile while making spit bubbles. Elena smiled and tickled the little boy. Lily smiled and picked up Anthony from the floor. The boy giggled and hugged his mother.
"There you are." James entered the room, taking Anthony from Lily. It was quite clear that Anthony had his father's soul. Always having a way of getting mischief and having the spark in his eyes. "The look of a true Marauder." James would always say. Lily was dreading the day that Anthony learned to walk and stared to pull parkas just like his immature father. "We should get going Lil'." Lily nodded. She took Harry from Elena and cuddled him from a moment before placing him back into his crib for a night's sleep.
With one last look over their twin boys Lily and James Potter left Godric's Hollow unaware of the set of red eyes that watched them.
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Inside the house Elena sat down in front of the T.V. after putting the boys to bed. Such charming boys they were. Especially Harry. Elena could tell he was going to be a powerful wizard one day. She could just feel the power surrounding him. He was no ordinary child. That was for sure.
Just as Elena was about to drift asleep the front door flew open. Elena stood fearful with her wand shaking in her old hand. She watched as a figure dressed all in black sauntered into the house. Cold and deadly eyes locked on her and she froze in place. She knew death was on her doorstep. She took a deep breath and listened as the Dark Lord said the most feared words. Avada Kadavra. Elena St. James fell to the floor dead after 81 year of life.
Voldemort's emotionless eyes were drawn to the staircase. He glided up them with grace and approached the nursery that held two sleeping children. His rivals. He could not have competition. He through opened the door and stepped into the warm room. Harry had awoken to the sound and looked up at the monster with his stunning green eyes. Beside him Anthony slept on. For a moment green met red and for the first time in his life Voldemort shivered in fear. Of a one year old boy. This was the rival that prophecy spoke of. There was no denying it. The power that surrendered this single boy was most definitely a threat.
Unconsciously Riddle's eyes fell to the boy beside him as he stirred in his sleep. Harry's eyes followed his every move. Bright hazel eyes blinked a few time before looking up at the Dark Lord. Voldemort shook his head. "Who should I rid of first?" He said to himself. Both twins looked up at him. Voldemort's eyes flickered to Harry. He knew that his mind was already made up. The redheaded boy had a weak magical aura were his own brother had magic coming to him like a magnet.
His wand turned on to the boy and his eyes met green as he said the killing curse. If anyone ever bothered to ask Tom Riddle what he saw before his soul left his body he would have sworn that he had seen and smirk and a deadly glare in the eyes of Harry James Potter.
When the curse hit Harry dead on the forehead he could not contain the scram that burst from his body. The shadows seemed to form around his tiny body in a shield and the dark curse was forced away from him. The curse in need of something to kill headed straight back to the caster. A horrid scream rang through the house as Voldemort's soul was ripped from his body. The house began to crumble under the massive back fire from the spell. A piece of the ceiling fell and made a jagged cut on Anthony's forehead. The little boy cried out in pain. Harry had fainted inside his dark shadowy shield. Calm voices whispered soothing words to him as he recovered from the shock of releasing the first of his Shadow Spinning powers.
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Albus Dumbledore had been sitting in his office enjoying a nice lemon drop when several of his instruments in his office went off. The first signaled that the wards on Godric's Hollow had fallen. The second was to alert him that the shadows had chosen their master. Standing up Albus brushed off his purple and neon yellow robes and apparated to Godric's Hollow where he found the house crumbling. Lily and James were not far behind. Lily cried out and raced toward the house for her babies but was held back by James just as the roof fell in and the house collapsed in a puff of dust. Lily cried in the shoulder of her husband and James simply held her.
As the dust cleared a small black bubble could be seen from within the pile of ruble. Slowly the shadows that had created the protective bumble began to fade to revel the two cribs. Inside on Harry was sleeping peacefully and in the other Anthony was wide awake and screaming in pain as blood flowed from the cut on his cheek. Lily rushed over the pile of ruble quickly followed by James, Sirius, and Remus. She picked out Anthony and cried out in thanks to the havens above. Remus picked up Harry checking him over while the others fretted over Anthony's cut cheek. Harry seemed perfectly fine except for the small lighting shaped scar that had formed on his forehead. Smiling he held the boy close. Harry's tired eyes slowly opened and looked from Uncle Remus to where his parents stood talking with Dumbledore and watching as the old man proclaimed Anthony the boy-who-lived and the shadow spinner that had saved Harry and Anthony.
The old man would not realize his terrible mistake until sixteen years later when Harry James Potter stood facing the dark lord in his brother's place.