Prologue

Somewhere off the coast of England

The door to the hut burst off its hinges and the large half-giant outside roared in rage. He pulled his wand out and pointed it at the small huddling family within, "Where's Harry?" he growled, not having the patience or time needed to deal with these pathetic Muggles.

"I'll ask once more," said the half-giant, with his voice dropping to a near whisper ,"where's Harry?"

"I don't know," sobbed Petunia, tears trickling down her face, "Please, just let us be…".

"You've bothered me enough today, you filthy Muggle!" Hagrid said a sneer distorting his features, "I think I might know how to open that filthy mouth of yours" he chuckled. Hagrid lazily twirled his wand between his fingers before making a violent movement with it, "Tempestus Evicto" he roared.

A bright bolt of shadow erupted from his wand and struck Petunia in the chest sucking the very air out of her lungs and making her cough up parts of them. Hagrid released her from the curse and she lay on the ground for a while, violently shuddering and gasping for air. Other wizards might have used the Cruciatus Curse, but Hagrid was a bit more imaginative, which was precisely why Dumbledore had chosen him for this mission.

Out of the corner of his eye he say Vernon slowly making his way towards a shotgun. Before he could reach it, Hagrid flicked his wand, causing the shotgun to twist and wrap tightly around Vernon's throat. Hagrid looked into the eyes of Petunia and muttered Leglimens leveling his wand at her.

Her mind was carefully blank, so he asked, "what do you know of the Boy-who-Lived, Harry James Potter". He saw something flash across her mind, before she pushed it down and another persona bubbled forth to the surface.

Her lips curled in disgust, "He's nothing but an ungrateful freak."

Hagrid sighed in annoyance and pointing his wand at Dudley, slammed him against a wall, "Clearly, we're going to have to try another avenue of persuasion."

"Sanguinus Inflammare" he muttered and Dudley screamed as his blood literally began to boil, Dudley's skin began to blister and turn red.

"Harry's with Tom, they took him to Hogwarts" blurted Petunia, desperate to save her son. Releasing Dudley, Hagrid turned around and walked out, but not before casting Fiendfyre. The Dursleys didn't even have time to scream before the beasts of flame devoured them alive.

Nurmengard

"Lemon drop?" asked Dumbledore a twinkle in his eye as always, surveying the prisoner brought beforr him. After the lack he response he chuckled "Are you sure?, they're quite good you know" before he popped one into his mouth.

"If you insist," said Dumbledore, the twinkle in his eyes brightening before he brought his hand back and snapped it downwards. A black shadow shot from his palm and into the chest of the prisoner.

The audience of new initiates stood awestruck as the prisoner, Lily Potter, shrieked in pain. Her skin erupted and inky tentacles burst forth, thrashing wildly in the air. Dumbledore held her in the throes of the curse for several minutes before finally releasing her, and she collapsed to the ground and fainted.

Dumbledore turned to face the audience and then bowed, causing a cheer to burst forth from all those gathered. "Thank you! Thank you!" exclaimed Dumbledore," Now that curse happens to the most powerful torture curse in existence, even more powerful than the Cruciatus, and it is a mere example of what powers you can gain through the study of Dark Magic."

The cheering started once more and Dumbledore bowed once again and thanked them, walking off the stage to a standing ovation. Dumbledore headed down to the prison to meet an old acquaintance of his, and trudged down the stairs to the dungeons while whistling a merry tune to himself. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he stopped, smelling the stench of human feces.

He curled his lip in disgust and cast an Air-Freshening Charm. "Flamel," Dumbledore exclaimed exasperatedly, "You must learn to take better care of yourself."

Dumbledore sent out probes into Flamel's mind and smirked as he noticed there were no barriers up. "It would seem that even you are not unbreakable", said Dumbledore, carefully filing away information on the use of the Philosopher's Stone.

"I cannot thank you enough Flamel, if there is anything you wish for me to do simply ask."

Dumbledore paused for a moment. "Dear me", Dumbledore chuckled, "I had quite forgotten that you lack a tongue".

Flamel glanced up at him, his eyes silently pleading for his life to be ended and tears began to trickled out of them and onto the floor. Dumbledore regarded the broken man carefully, eyeing the various scars the man sported from the various curses tested on him.

"I'm sorry Flamel, but you're simply too much pleasure to have around", Dumbledore whipped out his wand and pointed it directly at Flamel, "Oculus Eruptus" and both of Flamel's eyes simultaneously exploded.

Flamel let out an animalistic scream as Dumbledore regarded him coolly, "As I said earlier, Flamel, please control yourself". Dumbledore walked away and trudged up the staircase to his study.

While he had been perfectly capable of casting that spell wandlessly, it was always more fun when you could see the terror in their eyes when you held them at wandpoint.

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"Good evening Rubeus," said Dumbledore coolly.

"Dumbledore." acknowledged Hagrid bowing his head slightly.

"What information have you been able to gather about Harry's location?" Dumbledore questioned.

"He's at Hogwarts, apparently."

"Is that so?" Dumbledore chuckled, "Well, we'll need to move our plans ahead sooner than we expected."

Continuing up the staircase, Dumbledore whistling to himself.

He entered his study and his snow phoenix, Vaer, flew over and perched upon his shoulder.

Together they disappeared in a flash of white snow and ice.

The Burrow

Ron Weasley panted as he dodged a murky black Organ-Expelling curse cast by his older brother Fred, he returned fire with a Skin-Flaying curse, but his brother lazily batted the curse to the side.

"Is that all you got Ronniekins?" his brother taunted.

Ron ignored the jibe, and yelled "Suffitio Maledictus" and a wave of black smoke erupted from his wand heading towards his brother.

The black smoke was dispelled instantly, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.

There was a flash of white and Dumbledore and his phoenix still perched on his shoulder emerged.

"Good even Ronald, I trust your training is coming along well?" he inquired.

"Yes, sir." replied Ron, his hand coming up in a salute.

"There's no need for that, Ron," chuckled Dumbledore, "and please call me Albus."

"Well, Albus, what brings you here?" asked Fred.

"Harry starts Hogwarts this year, and I have decided to give you some tools to help you in our quest," replied Dumbledore smiling.

Then he tossed two black rings with dark red rubies inset to both brothers, "Twisting the ruby once is a Portkey to Nurmengard, twice summons dragonhide armor that is charmed to resist magic, thrice and it dampens all magic in the immediate vicinity. It also has the helpful effect of producing mental barriers that make it impossible for anyone to read your mind"

Dumbledore then turned and disappeared in a flash of ice and snow, and the two brothers returned to their dueling.

Hogwarts

Tom Riddle gripped Harry around the arm and dragged him into an empty classroom.

"I know it might come as a shock to you Harry, but you're a wizard" Tom said slowly.

"What?!" exclaimed Harry

"We had to leave you with Muggles, because when a wizard is aware of their magical nature, their magical core expands significantly. Dumbledore might have been able to find you, and you're our only hope to stop him," Tom explained

"It's all right, the Dursleys weren't that bad" Harry replied.

"Good", said Tom a smile lighting up his face, "Right now, no one knows you are at Hogwarts and I intend to keep it that way, Dumbledore's followers could be anywhere, even within Hogwarts itself. Therefore you'll need to be kept well-hidden and drinking Polyjuice Potion at all times just in case you are discovered."

Tom handed a small flask of what looked like muddy brown liquid to Harry, who drank it.

Harry felt his bones shifting and skin bubbling before his body began to change.

(A\N: This is my first fanfiction so please critique me on any grammar/spacing and/or content issues. Let me know what you guys think about the setting and worldbuilding I've done so far. Is this idea cliche/interesting/original?)

-Vivictus