He Is Not One of Us

by DZ2

Prodigal Son Response: "Deception, disgrace, Evil as plain as the scar on his face." When something impossible happens, this becomes the new way of life for Harry, but, to be honest, he's done caring. At least he can stop pretending to be something he's not. Dark Super Harry/Gabrielle

1. The Impossible Truth

He Is Not One of Us: A Harry Potter Fanfiction

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of its associated characters: all rights belong to JK Rowling. I do not own Not One of Us/The Lion King or any of its associated characters: all rights belong to Disney. I do not own any other crossover references used in the story: all rights belong to their original creators. I do own any OC spells explained at the end of a chapter.

Plot: Prodigal Son Response: "Deception, disgrace, Evil as plain as the scar on his face." When something impossible happens, this becomes the new way of life for Harry, but, to be honest, he's done caring. At least he can stop pretending to be something he's not.

Challenge Information: DZ2's 'Prodigal Son' Challenge: Voldemort has returned and the world is plunged into a war: however, the one facing the worst trial is Harry as, with the Dark Lord's return, someone else returned. Someone who, for all intents and purposes, is supposed to be dead: as if that's not bad enough, Harry's gone from being the Saviour to the Spare and all because of one truth: he never was the Boy-Who-Lived: his brother/sister is.

Rules: Grey, Dark or Evil Harry Dark

The story MUST start in the graveyard or in the Battle at the Ministry Graveyard

At some point in either confrontation, Harry MUST be about to die, but he's saved by the reappearance of Lily, James and a third unknown who is revealed to be his brother/sister Brother

At first, Harry denies it's them and has NO memory of his sibling (he was just a baby, remember?)

In revealing themselves, Lily and James explain that they've been training Harry's brother/sister and he's been a 'decoy' against the Dark

Because of everything he's gone through, Harry's understandably angry, but chooses to go one of three directions: he either: forgives his family and agrees to help his sibling, abandons Lily and James and chooses to try and leave the war between the Light and Dark or seeks revenge on his 'family' for abandoning him at any cost Option 3

Sirius MUST be on Harry's side no matter what

At least ONE ally of Lily and James' must have known they were alive OTHER THAN the Headmaster, who knew already

If Harry chooses to abandon/seek revenge on his family, James MUST hit him, leaving a mark Harry becomes proud of

Whichever year the story starts in, the brother/sister MUST come to Hogwarts in the September of the New Year

All pairings are welcome

Guidelines: Super/OP Harry Accepted: Super

Dark-Lord Harry Not intentionally

Master-of-Death Harry Accepted

The brother/sister has the real Power the Dark Lord knows not No

Whatever power the brother/sister has, Harry discovers he has it/an opposite of it No

Severus becomes Harry's ally Accepted

In choosing to seek revenge, Harry leaves the Potter Family for another (e.g. Sirius) Accepted

In choosing revenge, Harry seeks to join Tom No

To help him and/or his family, Harry builds his own 'Order' to stand with him Accepted

Harry never WAS Lily and James' son, which made it easy to use him as the decoy No

Slash No

Harems No

Harry/Multi No

Harry's friends and allies abandon him for the real hero of magic Some, not all

Somehow, Harry discovers/acquires an Old Legacy to help in his destiny Accepted

Harry runs away from home in the summer after their return Accepted

Forbidden: Boy-Who-Lived Harry

Lily and James dead

Harry remembering his sibling

Sirius against Harry

Whatever path Harry embarks on, he cannot change later

Dark/Evil-Harry: James accepting Harry's defection

Dumbledore ignorant to the Plan to use Harry as a decoy

Other than that, it's up to you...

Author's Note: So, to be perfectly honest, this idea came to me because of the rush of inspirations and responses that seem born from the challenge: at the same time, a heads-up for you.

The FIRST CHAPTERS were, originally, the start of a former idea that was also a response, but I'm going to slip small changes in here and there, and then, when you get to a certain point, everything that follows is all new stuff, so…in the end, you know what I always say, right? Well, I'm going to say it again.

If you don't like it, don't read it!

Dedication: I'd like to dedicate this story to everyone who has responded to this challenge: my recommended reads are The Forsaken Child by ACI100, Prodigious Sin by Triple D aka Dark Demon, Who Dares Wins by OlegGunnarsson, Fueled Anger by Kaitabi, Beautiful, Broken, Deadly by ifYouDieInCanada, Small Changes by KnightCarter007, Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man, Harry Potter and the Shadowed Light by itshanniee and Antithesis by Oceanbreeze7

Key Pairing: Dark Harry/Gabrielle;

Other Pairings: Neville/Ginny; Lily/James; Others TBD

Normal Speech

'Thoughts'

/Parseltongue/

Chapter 1: The Impossible Truth

If anyone asked him, Harry would have described what he was experiencing now as the worst nightmare he'd ever had; a nightmare he couldn't wake up from, leaving him caught in a place where he couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't speak and couldn't breathe.

A place where his heart felt like it had stopped beating and nothing but an endless void of pain and torture clutched at his soul…and yet, the irony of it was the fact that this wasn't a nightmare and, try as he might, Harry couldn't wake from it because he was already awake.

He was already awake and running away from the vision, ducking spell fire and trying to look anywhere but in front of him where, as he huddled behind a gravestone, his living nightmare stood tall, proud and defiant. The sight on the other side of the grave was one Harry had never wanted to see and yet, as the blood trickling down his arm and the fiery pains in his scar proved, he was seeing it.

It was real, it was happening and it wasn't a dream.

The Dark Lord Voldemort had returned…

And worse, it was Harry's fault he'd returned.

His blood, his naivety and his lack of knowledge and experience…all these things had led to Harry being in the graveyard, forced to watch as Peter Wormtail Pettigrew murdered Cedric Diggory and then proceeded to conduct a dark, almost-satanic ritual to resurrect the magical world's version of the Devil Incarnate.

And now, after being forced to watch as the man grandstanded for the sake of his pathetically-naïve, worshipping sheep of a band of followers, Harry was fighting for his life, trying to find a way to escape, all the while, knowing and hating the fact that he knew he would probably not find a way out of this.

There was no miracle, no moral fibre and no sudden fluke that would save him this time and he knew it.

As he huddled in darkness, having avoided contact with the Killing Curse again, Harry heard Voldemort's voice, laced with hate and disappointment, address him, "Don't you turn your back on me, Harry Potter. I want you to look at me when I kill you. I want to see the light leave your eyes!"

As Harry tried to catch his breath and work out a solution to get out of this, a part of him vowing that if he survived this, he'd knuckle down to some serious magical education so that he wouldn't be caught unaware a second time, he felt a burst of emotional fire ignite in his heart as he heard the words of the Dark Lord.

The insinuation that what was going to happen was inevitable; that Harry would be the one to die made him feel more than just angry, especially after everything he'd done to survive the tasks that had come at him so far.

He'd taken on Voldemort…no…he'd taken on Riddle and survived so many times before, facing impossible odds and managing to find a way, even when everyone else said it was impossible.

If the snake-faced freak thought he was going to roll over and die when it was really impossible, it was clear he didn't know his nemesis at all.

Guided by this instinct to survive, if only to prove Tom wrong again about what was meant to happen, Harry pulled himself up from his hiding place, his green eyes burning with raw fire and fury as he faced the Dark Lord.

With his wand clutched in his hand like it was the hilt of a sword, Harry let out a scoff as he hissed, "Have it your way…"

A spell flew from his lips as he brought his wand up, but as he did so, Harry gasped as a loud crack filled the graveyard.

At the same time, what could only be described as a shockwave of magical light blasted its way through the cemetery, sending the Death Eaters flying while, to Harry's surprise, what sounded like a roar of pain flew from Tom's lips.

As Harry tried to see into the light, he was aware of someone taking hold of him before, as he looked to the source of the hold, his eyes widened and his heart turned colder than cold as he heard a voice he'd only ever heard in his darkest dreams.

"It's all right, sweetheart, you don't have to be afraid anymore. You're safe now."

Then, before Harry could ask any questions, he felt his world spinning into the unknown, the only thing he was aware of was the same roaring scream from the Dark Lord and the hold on his arm before, as though invoked by some magical order, Harry fell into darkness.

In more ways than one…

Not One of Us

Murmurs…

That was the first thing Harry was aware of as his body fought its way back into the realm of consciousness.

Low, indistinct murmurs that seemed to be familiar, but with his mind caught in a fog of obscurity, Harry was unaware of the familiarity.

Instead, his body tried to fight its way back into the land of the living, bringing with it a sensation of overwhelming hurt that stabbed at his heart like he'd been impaled on Gryffindor's Sword. He was also aware of what felt like a bandage wrapped around his right arm while his head was a blend of nauseating sickness and pain that was fresh from the traumas of experiencing what he had experienced.

As his body started to draw itself back into the land of the living, Harry's ears pricked up as he heard the murmurs again, but this time, he was aware of voices speaking from somewhere just outside of wherever he was lying. "…couldn't it have waited any longer?"

"I understand your pain, my boy," another voice, one Harry dimly-recognised as that of Albus Dumbledore, replied to the first.

As he heard the first one, however, another feeling of pain hit Harry's heart as he felt like he knew that voice.

It was like a voice he'd heard somewhere before…somewhere impossible and outside the laws of magic.

As Harry lay there, his sense of smell telling him he was in the Hospital Wing, he heard the Headmaster's voice again, "But now it's happened and the Plan has been triggered, we need to make sure Harry understands his role in this."

"Why wouldn't he?" asked the first voice, its tone edged by a note of disbelief that also caught Harry's attention as they asked, "He's been raised for this: that's why we let you send him to the Dursleys and keep him out of the loop with regards to the Plan. Nothing can threaten Jason's destiny or the prophecy, so…"

"I understand what you're saying, James," agreed Dumbledore, the identity of the voice causing Harry's eyes to snap open, revealing the familiar confines of the Hospital Wing as well as the bed and curtains he knew so well.

At the same time, his heart turned colder than cold as he heard the name:

James?

No…it couldn't be…

They were dead!

With that certainty in mind, and vowing to deal with the threat of someone daring to discredit a memory even further, Harry pretended to be asleep as he stayed very still even as he continued to listen. "But you must also remember Harry has no idea of what's going on: there are already a lot of changes going on around him."

"Well then he'll be happy to have a reprieve now that we're back," argued another voice, earning another silent gasp from Harry.

That was a voice he also knew very well, but he couldn't believe that it was there or that he was hearing them.

Once again, he had to practically beat it into his sense of reasoning to remember one crucial fact: the owner of the voice…and the other one, if it was who he thought it was…they were meant to be dead!

"But that won't stop him from fulfilling his role," argued the first, the one identified as James, his choice of words surprising Harry as he went on. "He was raised to be Jason's second: a decoy so that we could train Jason in his powers and get him ready. If he's as eager for family as you say he is, Albus, I'm sure he'll accept that he's no longer the hero, but the hero's sidekick."

"I suppose you're right, James," agreed the new voice, their tone and the topic of their conversation causing Harry's heart to freeze in his chest as he heard the new voice, a female voice that was so very familiar, speak again. "Once he's been reintroduced, Harry will accept that what we did for his brother's sake was all for the Greater Good."

Brother? Jason?

For the Greater Good? What were they talking about?

And why were voices of dead people talking to the Headmaster?

As Harry lay there, trying not to shed tears as he heard what was going on and how little he apparently meant to the people talking, he heard footsteps approach his bed before a gasp escaped one of the speakers as the female voice exclaimed, "He's awake! James, come and see."

Shutting his eyes, Harry tried not to look at the owners of the voices as he heard more footsteps followed by the voice of the Headmaster, "Harry, thank Merlin you're going to be all right, dear boy. After what happened in the Third Task and everything…"

"You're not real," whispered Harry, pain filling his words as he gasped out, "I'm still dreaming…this isn't real…they're not there…they can't be!"

"And yet we are," argued James' voice, earning a groan of denial from Harry as he added, "We're here for you now, son: and trust me, we are very sorry for what we did, but you have to understand…"

"You're not real!" spat Harry, venom lacing his words as he put his hands to his ears, "I can't hear you; this…this is a trick. Another of Tom's games; an illusion…someone's sick idea of a joke with Polyjuice Potion…it's not you!"

"It is," said the female, earning a shudder and another gasp of pain and hurt from Harry as he felt a pair of soft hands pull his hands from his ears before the voice of the female spoke to him again, "Harry, it's all right; we're here because we love you. Mama loves you…Dada loves you…Harry, be safe, be strong and never forget that you are loved…"

With trembling fingers and tear-filled eyes, Harry slowly opened his eyes.

When he did so, he stared at the sight in front of him: the red hair and green eyes that were so very much like his own, the owner of those eyes looking at him with relief and a hint of regret as she whispered, "We're real, sweetheart, and we have never stopped loving you…"

"Oh…" Harry gasped, taking hold of the hands that held his while he lifted himself up slightly, allowing him to see not only the visage of his Mother, Lily Potter, but also the proud, watchful gaze of his Father, James, and the Headmaster, who nodded once before he left the three to reunite.

As Harry looked from his Father to his Mother, he smiled and sniffed, a lone tear rolling down his cheek as he whispered, "M…Mum?"

Lily smiled, just like she'd smiled in the Mirror of Erised as Harry, looking to James, asked, "Dad?"

"Harry," said James, his smile also like the one Harry had seen.

However, to the shock of the Potters, Harry's next words wiped the smiles from their faces as he addressed them with a tone that was anything but warmth, but cold indifference, rage and hurt, all of which summed up his emotions in seven words;

"How naïve do you think I am?"

Not One of Us

When Lily and James finally had the chance to be reunited with their son, seeing him stand against the darkness just as their plan had called for him to do, they'd thought a lot of things about what he was going to say or do when he saw them again.

However, never in their wildest dreams had either Potter expected Harry to sound so harsh and cold as he did when he asked them what he did.

He didn't sound grateful or delighted to see them again; he didn't look like he was going to cry, unless they were tears of rage, and he certainly didn't appear to be thankful or understanding of what had happened when they'd come back.

There was no love or hope or relief; there was only cold indifference and a scathing, hurt look in his green eyes as he looked from one Potter to the other before he asked, "What? Were you expecting me to run into your arms and be happy to see you again?"

"It has been thirteen years, Harry," James reasoned, earning a scoff from Harry as he said, "Be thankful it's not longer, especially since we've taken a big risk bringing your brother back into the fold when he's not even close to mastering his powers."

"My who?" asked Harry, earning a troubled look from Lily as he told them, "I don't have a brother: at least, not one I'm aware of."

"You were too young to remember Jason before that night," agreed James, his tone edged by a note of pride as he explained, "But I can assure you that your brother, the real Boy-Who-Lived, is very real and here at Hogwarts: in fact, he's sitting in the Headmaster's office waiting for his Sorting."

Something about the way he said the real Boy-Who-Lived, emphasising the r-word in the process, made Harry feel really cold inside.

He also had to try hard not to feel worse about the way they'd called him a decoy when they thought he wasn't listening, but, at the same time, he tried to shut out that feeling and others as he looked from his Father to his Mother as he exclaimed, "That still doesn't explain where you've been for all these years: I mean, you left me to the mercy, and I use the term loosely, of those damn Dursleys for thirteen years! For Merlin's sake, they put me in a cupboard for ten of those years and then had me barred and bolted like an animal when I started school!"

"Yes, we know," remarked James, earning a horrified look from Harry, both at the calm, even uncaring way that his Father said it and the fact that the man was fully aware of his treatment at the hands of those damn Muggle mongrels.

At the same time, the lack of care or even a small hint of remorse for what he was saying made Harry feel like he wanted to throw up.

How could these people call themselves his parents?

It was bad enough he'd heard them speak so dismissively about him and his future when they'd thought he was still out for the count, but now, as he looked from the calm expression of James Potter to the equally-apathetic gaze of Lily Potter, Harry felt his teeth clench while his heart ached with hurt, loss and pain as he looked in the opposite direction, not wanting to meet the eyes of either Potter.

"So…" asked Harry, his voice edged by the pain he felt as he asked, "That's all that matters, is it? You know what I've been through and you don't seem to care, is that it?"

"It was for the Greater Good that you were kept out of the way and as unaware of what you could do as possible," said James, again showing an air of pride in his words as he explained, "In the meantime, following our deaths, your Mum and I worked with some close friends and outside agents to help Jason master the power he's supposed to have: the power to vanquish and end the threat of the Dark once and for all."

A sudden cold rush hit Harry like he was standing against the force of a tsunami.

There was a question he wanted to ask, but as he thought about it, a part of him warned the rest of him that he didn't want to know the answer to what he wanted to ask.

And yet, as he tried not to throw up or scream, he asked it anyway. "And what about me?"

"You're going to be his second-in-command," James assured Harry, again speaking as though it was the most-obvious thing in the world as he explained, "You'll be the first and last line of defence between Jason and his enemies. You'll make sure he doesn't run into trouble and act as his vassal where necessary; I mean, he is the elder brother, which also means he can inherit whereas you, Harry, you're just…you."

An icy breeze seemed to blow through the room following James' words.

At the same time, Harry felt a bubble of air rise in his chest while, deep inside his heart and soul, he felt something awaken in him.

If he had to describe what he was feeling, he would have said that it felt as though the spirit of the Gryffindor lion stitched onto his Hogwarts robes felt an urge to open its jaws and roar.

It wanted to pounce on this prey and show him exactly what he was dealing with.

It wanted to…

But Harry didn't let it, mostly because of how, as much as that was how it felt, for the first time ever, Harry also felt like he could actually, willingly and uncaringly hate the fact he was a Gryffindor.

Instead, taking a deep, shuddering breath, he looked to his Father as he asked in a cool tone of voice that was anything but the Harry of old as he asked him, "I'm just…me? So…what? My brother is the important one here and I…I'm nothing more than…what? A pawn? A decoy? A spare part?"

James' answer, although he didn't realise it until it was too late, condemned him and any hope he might have had to get his son back.

"Yes: nice to see you actually managed to use your brain, Harry. Jason will be…"

"Stop talking."

Harry's voice, much colder than it had once been, seemed to hiss through his clenched teeth like the whispering voice of a serpent.

At the same time, James' eyes widened with genuine surprise and disbelief while Lily put a hand to her mouth, a look of fear in her eyes as she saw her son move away from her, pulling himself to his feet as he climbed out of the bed.

Once he was upright, albeit with a slight stumble as his body grew accustomed to its strength again, Harry drew himself to his full height before he looked from his Father, who seemed to be more enraged than surprised, to his Mother, who swallowed hard before she smiled a weak smile at her youngest child. "Harry, what are you doing? You…you need to rest…"

"And you need to stop talking," said Harry, his body unnaturally still while his eyes looked at his Mother as he asked, "How can you sit there and let him think so little of me…of my life…my future? I mean, do either of you have any idea the risks, the leaps of faith and the moves I have made in the name of defending your honour? Living up to your legacies? Of keeping myself in the frame of mind where, in some small way, I always hoped you'd be proud of me and what I do, even though some part of me knew…or I guess believed I'd never see you again until I was dead too?"

"We…we are proud, Harry," James told him, although he sounded more like a certain Potions Master as he spoke to Harry through clenched teeth and with an air of forced emotion that seemed to struggle to remain positive as he explained, "We know what you've done and we couldn't be any prouder of you if we tried. But now, you can stop, be at peace and, when the time comes, you can be there to stand in your brother's army and take on the Dark Lord and his slaves. Of course, you'll make sure Jason doesn't die, but still…"

"I thought I told you to stop talking, Potter!" spat Harry, his eyes like the coldest, but purest of emeralds in history while he too sounded like a certain Potions Master when he snapped the man's name at him as he snarled, "I don't know who the bloody hell you think you're talking to, but if you think I'm going to be someone's shield against the enemy, nothing more than a spare…a pawn to defend your precious king, you're sorely mistaken!"

"He is your brother!" exclaimed James, pointing a finger at Harry as he hissed, "And I am your Father, boy, and you will do as I say!"

"My Father died thirteen years ago, you delusional piece of shit!" snapped Harry, earning another outraged look from James while Lily, to Harry's disbelief, also looked like she couldn't believe the nerve of her wayward son.

But Harry wasn't done.

As he glared at James, noticing the man's fingers twitch with unease as though he was actually contemplating using magic on Harry in a bid to get him to get in line, the emerald-eyed scion went on. "My Father was a star Chaser, Marauder and a fun-loving spirit of greatness who was willing to risk his life for my sake and that of my family. In doing so, Riddle killed him and my Mum, leaving me alone in the world: so whoever you think you are, you egotistical, delusional mongrel swine, the James Potter I've defended for years, you are not!"

"Harry James Potter, I am warning you!" growled James, his eyes filled with rage as he insisted, "I will not tolerate disloyalty, least of all from my own son: if you think you can stand there much longer and talk down to me, it's you who is mistaken."

Here, he scoffed before, looking to Lily, he asked, "Why did you tell me to stop Remus being disciplined with him, Lily? Look at what letting him get spoiled by his freedom has done to Jason's warrior!"

More silence followed James' words, but this time, it didn't last long as Harry's voice cut through the silence like the Sword of Gryffindor, his tone much colder and darker than ever.

"Remus? He…he knew you were alive?"

"Of course he did," snapped James, again unaware of the threat he was giving life to as he continued, his voice laced with disbelief and a hint of juvenile, self-serving amusement as he asked, "Do you think he kept his distance from you for twelve years for nothing? We had him helping your brother before, realising we needed you to make an effort to lift the banner in Jason's name, we agreed to let him come here to give you a reason to keep going. Of course, Albus knew our wishes: why else would he let Remus teach you the Patronus Charm?"

Once again, James' words condemned him, although he still didn't notice as he saw Harry tense up, a look of sheer, dark apathy crossing the face of the Gryffindor before, with a cold tone so devoid of warmth that it was a shock Harry wasn't breathing ice, the former fourth Triwizard Champion closed his eyes, taking a single deep breath before he spoke.

But when he spoke, his words were so devoid of emotion that, like his breathing, it was a wonder ice wasn't forming around him as he addressed the egomaniac he'd spent so long trying to insist James Potter was not.

The reality, however, was like the ultimate eye-opener for Harry, even as he asked another question he didn't really want to know the answer to.

"I see…so it was all part of the plan, is that it? And what if I'd died defending Jason?"

"Then it would be for the Greater Good, because your sacrifice would ensure he'd still be alive," answered James.

"I see," said Harry, lifting his head to meet Lily's eyes before he asked her, "And do you agree with that, Mother? The woman who was willing to sacrifice herself for me…and I guess, for him too: do you think so little of my life?"

"Harry, be reasonable…"

"Harry, be reasonable," mocked Harry, his green eyes regaining a semblance of their Killing-Curse-esque glow as he snapped, "You sound just like a friend of mine and she can be a real pain in my neck! How am I supposed to be reasonable when my own family thinks my life is worth about as much as yesterday's news? How am I supposed to be reasonable knowing everything I've done…everything I've gone through and all that I've risked, in your names and memories, I might add; how do I react knowing it's all for nothing?"

"You get over it," James insisted, earning a scoff from Harry as he warned him, "We are back now, Harry, and while you might have enjoyed the lap of luxury this far, it won't stop me putting my hand to you!"

"No, but it can stop you from trying, you sanctimonious prick!" snapped Harry, letting out a semi-amused laugh while he glared at James once more as he scowled, "God, all these years, I tried to deny Snape could be right about you. Well now I see he was, I wish I'd let the Sorting Hat send me to Slytherin: at least there, I wouldn't have had to walk in someone else's shadow!"

Later, Harry wouldn't know if it was the comparison to something that Severus Snape had said or if it was the fact that he was nearly a Slytherin, but something about his tirade pushed James over the edge.

While Lily looked horrified at her son's words, James drew his wand and, without any hint of fatherly remorse in his actions, he sent a Severing Hex at Harry, cutting his cheek, narrowly missing his eye in the process as he exclaimed, "How…dare…you compare me to that…that ass-kissing, greasy-haired Death Eater's likeness! You ungrateful bastard: if you think I'm going to stand for any insubordination against your family, you're mistaken. Now, say sorry and admit you're wrong and I might close the wound before it becomes permanent."

However, to the shock of both Potters, Harry didn't apologise…

Neither did he look mournful or pained by what had happened.

Instead, he lifted his hand to the cut on his cheek, letting the warm touch of his blood drip against his fingers before, eyeing the drops on his fingers, Harry let out a laugh before he looked up at James as he asked the red-faced man, "Wow…who'd have thought you and the Dursleys actually had something in common? And to think, Petunia hates you so much too; ironic."

He directed his last words at Lily, who seemed as unwilling to hide her true feelings as her husband as she snapped, "Harry James Potter, that's enough cheek out of you!"

But again, Harry didn't yield.

Instead, he gave her a cold, sideways look while he listened as she told him, "Now listen, you're clearly on edge because of what's happened: if you'd calm down, maybe have a Calming Draught and let us talk properly about this, we can help you. And then, when we're done talking, your Dad will heal the wound on your cheek and we'll forget this happened. Heck, Jason need never know, so…"

"Jason, Jason, Jason," snarled Harry, throwing his hands up while he spat, "I've only known he exists for five minutes and, already, I am sick of hearing of this Mr Nobody as if he's meant to be the next Dumbledore or something. Don't you even care that he used magic on me, Lily?"

"Don't talk to your Mother like that…" snarled James, but Harry cut him off with a snarl of his own.

"Or what? You'll cut my tongue out next?" asked Harry, shaking his head before, to the shock of the Potters, he drew his own wand, holding it up as he snapped, "You just try it, Potter! I let you get the first shot in because I was confused, but I guess the feel of blood cemented the fact this is real, but that's good, so go ahead…try and muzzle me now, Prongs!"

His eyes were glowing like the Killing Curse as he faced his Father, his wand sword-like in his grip as he held it up before he hissed icily, "You try it, because who knows? Maybe then you'll understand just who the fuck I am and why I'll never let anyone, not even you and your big return, dictate my life. Not now…not ever, do you hear me?"

"Put it down, boy!" warned James, his own wand trembling again as if the warning of the cut on Harry's cheek was perfectly reasonable, but he didn't want to take it further unless he was forced to.

And Harry knew why.

This Jason would know what his spare brother was capable of doing and he'd probably crow about it too.

'Merlin's beard, Snape's right: what an arrogant, selfish brat!' thought Harry before, craning his neck to one side, shuddering as he did so, Harry snorted before he whispered, "No…I don't think I will: Expelliarmus!"

To his amusement, as he'd hoped what happened next was what happened, Harry's spell sent James flying across the Hospital Wing, knocking the rails and the curtains down before leaving him in a similar heap to the one Severus had been left in when Harry used the spell in the Shack.

At the same time, the young wizard felt a chill run through him before, with reflexes that came from ten years of Harry Hunting – or three years of Seeker positions and four years of constant danger in a school – Harry ducked out of the path of what he guessed was either a Stunning Spell or a Full Body Bind.

Once out of the line of fire, the young Gryffindor rose up before he shook his head, seeing Lily pointing her wand at him, her eyes wide with shock as though she'd thought he couldn't do such a thing or be so fast and agile, as he stared her down.

"Big mistake, bitch!" snapped Harry, his green eyes filled with vengeance and a desire for something he'd never thought he'd feel a need for.

As the need filled him, Harry looked back to James as he hissed, "If all you think I am is your soldier, you pampered prick, I'd sooner be as dead to you as you've been to me for thirteen years."

While James fumed, Harry turned and made his way out of the Wing, but not before he stuck the knife in deeper as he kicked at James, almost as though he was a cat burying its faecal waste in the litter box.

Once he was done, Harry spat heavily on the ground before he looked back at the red-faced and definitely not-dead Potter Lord as he hissed, "One day, I hope you'll look back on this and remember: what happens next is your fault, Prongs!"

"If…if you do this…" growled James, his wand hand trembling as he remained in a heap at the feet of his wayward son as he warned him, "I won't give you a thing! You'll have no home, no name, no life…nothing. If I see you again, you'll be nothing to me and, no matter what, I will never extend the olive branch to you, you insolent, ungrateful little brat!"

"Good," said Harry, before he turned and, lowering himself down to the level of the egotistical prat he'd once called Father, he hissed icily.

"Because I'd hate to have to knock you on your ass again!"

James managed to get a hand free as Harry smiled at him, but when he reacted with a sharp punch to the young boy's face, the only thing that he got in return was the sound of Harry's nose breaking and the sight of a black eye forming on his face.

Again, however, Harry didn't cry or look like he was going to do so either.

Instead, he coughed, ignoring the tang of blood as it trickled down his face and touched his tongue as he said, "Once a bully, always a bully. I can't believe I ever thought I had to prove myself to you."

Rising up again, ignoring the feel of blood splashing onto his clothes and the floor around him, Harry snorted before he said, "Consider that your second free shot, Potter; because I guarantee you will never get that close again without a few curses getting sent back!"

"You walk out that door…don't you even think about coming back!"

Once again, the attempt to manipulate Harry's emotions was as effective as throwing mud on water.

As Harry turned once more, he spat a globule of blood onto James' face before he walked out of the Hospital Wing, neither noticing nor caring about the fact that he looked like a war victim or that he had, pretty much, screwed himself royally for the rest of his natural life.

The only thing he knew was the need he'd felt earlier.

A dark, unbidden need that seemed to come out in sheer force with the taste of his own blood now dancing on his tongue.

If ever there was a moment it came out, it was that one.

With the taste of blood, Harry Potter, Golden Boy, became something…else.

Something…someone who needed to see James Potter beg for mercy, forgiveness and his own damn life…

Then Harry would be happy.

And, no matter what, now that he was, technically, a free agent in the game ahead, the young lion made a vow that he would see that happen.

Payback, as the old saying went, would be a bitch!

So, a revamped – and, this time, I mean it when I say this is the FINAL draft of the story I intent to complete – Chapter 1 and it looks like James has made a very stupid mistake and made an enemy he probably never thought would be an enemy, but now, alone against the world and with nothing more than a name left, what will Harry do?

How will he ensure payback is a bitch and what about this other Golden Brat, Jason?

Keep Reading to Find Out

Next Chapter: When the very last member of Hogwarts' occupants offers an olive branch, Harry gets a chance to vent, to consider his path to justice and, on top of everything else, consider what he does now: fortunately, a familiar face has an answer;

Please Read and Review

AN: Portrayals

Lily Potter: Lena Headey

James Potter: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

(Curiously, the thought of these two portraying the vile and the disgustingly-pitiful excuse for parents just works for me in this story)