XxX
Breakfast at Hogwarts was typically a fairly quiet affair- everyone was tired and hardly ready for the day, if at all. But today, the Great Hall was all abuzz as students pored over their copies- and friends' copies, if they were lacking- of The Daily Prophet.
THE BOY WHO LIVED: LIVES AGAIN!
The headline wouldn't have meant much to anyone who didn't bother to read the embellishments of the paper, but after the Gryffindor Trio's ultimatum against the Prophet, they all knew that this was no fabrication.
"…kept him in a cupboard!"
"…almost nothing to eat…"
"…despicable…and they were related to...?"
"…they beat him? Really?"
"…see- bruises on his…"
"…wouldn't notice…"
"…and…what about…"
These little snippets of conversation reached Harry's ears as he sat down at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione sent him curious glances before each grabbing copies of the paper from random students, and Harry wanted to curl up in a hole and die.
He could feel hundreds of eyes on him as he tried to grab his breakfast and pretend things were normal. And the most heated stare, he knew, was from Professor Snape. He just had a way with his eyes that made his skin crawl.
And Severus himself?
He knew Lord Voldemort read the paper, but he didn't know how- or if- he planned to use this information. And, with that uncertainty, he had no idea how to further protect Lily's son from the Dark Lord's wrath.
Elsewhere…
The Dark Lord Voldemort sat in his throne, the day's copy of The Daily Prophet in his lap. He was emotionally split. On the one hand, he could use this information to make Potter's life hell. But on the other hand, he himself was being forced to acknowledge that he and his prophesized enemy weren't really all that different. Both orphaned, both raised by muggles who didn't accept them, both sent back to them every year so Albus could continue manipulating them, and-
He cut his train of thought there as he noticed he was getting angry.
But still…
It was no secret that Harry Potter was a pureblood, unlike himself, and for his muggle relatives to abuse him as they had, and for Dumbledore to just let it happen for so long…it was unforgiveable.
For muggles to treat purebloods in such a way, and one who was related to them, was something he could not allow. Even if Harry Potter was his destined enemy.
At that moment, the gears in his head started turning, in synch with the wheel of fate, and time itself began to change…
XxX
There were very few devices that could travel through time, and the ones that did exist could only travel a few hours at most. Or at least, that's what everyone thought. But Voldemort knew better. It took many years of secret development, starting from 1975. But finally, it was finished.
The small hourglass round his neck was intricately decorated with all sorts of runes, and the key to activate it was in the top piece. All it took was a quick flick of the wrist.
Surrounded by his Death Eaters, Voldemort activated the time-skipper, set to the year 1981. Pale fingers turned the top section of the hourglass, and glowing runes appeared in a circle beneath his feet. Today, he would put an end to Dumbledore's machinations before they could even begin.
Voldemort disappeared in a flash of silvery light.
XxX
Godric's Hollow was quiet and peaceful, even amidst the wreckage of the Potters' home. Even the cries of the orphaned child in the house did little to disturb the feeling of contentment he felt in the night air.
Tom- he was not Voldemort here- pulled himself up off the ground and slowly entered the ruined house. Hagrid would be here any minute, so he had to be quick. He crept up the stairs and into the nursery, where all was quiet. Harry had somehow fallen asleep, it seemed. Just to be safe, Tom cast a sleeping charm on him, then cradled him in his arms.
Something resonated from Harry. It was familiar. The feeling of strength and power, and…soul? He'd only ever felt it from his horcruxes. Had the remnants of his soul somehow attached to the scar left from the killing curse? Well then, all the better that he was here.
He'd remembered what happened to his diary in Lucius's care. That fate would not befall this horcrux. Not if he had anything to say about it.
He glanced up from his new charge at the sound of a motorcycle, and decided it was time to leave. He left the house, and minus Harry's absence, it was like no one had even been there.
He paused a moment outside the house, internally debating the repercussions of apparation on a baby, and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.
XxX
Tom disapparated in the foyer of Riddle manor and immediately called forth a house-elf to prepare a nursery. It hurried to it, and Tom took this time to properly check baby Harry Potter for any dark signs. It was significantly easier, he figured, since he was asleep, and true to his suspicion, the child was indeed a horcrux.
He decided not to spend time thinking about what brought out that outcome- thinking of the death of an alternate self was already bad enough- and instead thought about how to best keep his horcrux safe. Living beings being made into horcruxes was uncommon, at best, so he had no idea how to proceed. Perhaps a stasis charm? It'd keep him from getting ill, or starving, and if he kept all his other horcruxes close to the boy, it'd keep them safe, too.
There'd be minimal risk of him getting hurt.
And it wasn't like he had to care for him. He just had to keep those damned muggles from getting to him again.
Yes…that would do. But he'd take care of it tomorrow. It was getting late, and he was supposed to be dead in this time.
He summoned the same house elf and had it put Harry to bed before he himself retired to his chamber.
