Disclaimer: The plot and a few characters are mine... the rest is not

Summary: Harry had the perfect life until tragedy struck and everthing he loved was taken from him. Now 10 years later he is the DADA teacher at Hogwarts and a student shows up that makes everyone wonder, just what really happened all those years ago.

A/N: It's a bit sad and depressing at the beginning, but I promise as the story goes on it will get better and more interesting. I swear it will have a happy ending. Enjoy.

September 1st

It's amazing how a simple date can cause so much pain. It used to be the best day of my life. From age 11 and 6 years after that, any mention of that day would bring a smile to my face. It would mean I was going home, or at least to the only home I even knew, Hogwarts. Some of the best times of my life were spent there. It was there I learned all the magic I could cram into my brain. It was there I learned the greatest sport in the world, Quidditch. It was there I met my two best friends, my real family.

It was at Hogwarts, at the end of my 7th year, that I finally sent Voldemort running for the hills with his tail between his legs. But that is really a story for another time. Although, I could sum it up for you in a nut shell, but your going to need a little background information first...

To make a long story short, at the beginning of our 6th year I got in a heated argument with Hermione in the common room. I was depressed as hell over Sirius and in a never ending bad mood. I would snap at people for no apparent reason and my grades were slipping. One night Hermione tried to confront me about it and I just blew up. I went off on her for 5 minutes, telling her she didn't know anything about what I was going through and how she needed to stay out of something that didn't concern her. She waited until I was done, looked me in the eye and told me she hated the person I was becoming and stormed off. That did it for me, I through my arms up in the air in anger and with a loud bang all the glass in the room shattered.

It was that night that I discovered that I could do wand-less magic. According to Dumbledore it ran in my blood line and he had been waiting for the day when it would finally surface. A year and a half later I had mastered it, or so I thought. When my emotions were on high or I had lost control my magic would get a little out of hand. I still needed my wand for spells, but I could now move things with my mind and a flick of my wrist. I discovered new ways to conjure objects, destroy things, and even inflict pain. Needless to say I was well on my way to becoming more powerful than the Dark Lord himself.

But it wasn't until the last week of school that Voldemort actually got the nerve to attack. It was a Saturday and Hermione, Ron, and I were gallivanting around Hogsmeade discussing what the first thing we were going to do as full fledged wizards.

Flashback

"What about you Harry? What's the first thing you're going to do when we finally get out of this prison?"

"RON"

"What?"

I chuckled, some things will never change. I sat there thinking for a second, as they continued to bicker, before I said, "I'm going to go visit my parent's graves for the first time."

That shut them up. A calming silence fell over us. The calm before the storm I always thought. We were jolted out of our peaceful thoughts by a loud explosion over near the Shrieking Shack.

I was turned around and sprinting towards the smoke before you could blink. I could here Ron and Hermione screaming behind me.

"Harry No," but I ignored them. This was the fight I had been waiting for.

As I came around the corner I saw exactly what I expected, students screaming and running for the castle while Voldemort and his Death Eaters stood in the middle of it all.

I smiled to myself, time to have a little fun.

With a flick of my wrist I sent 3 Death Eaters hurling into the air like they were rag dolls. They hit the ground with a sickening thud. Before they rest could register what happened, I had two more on the ground screaming in pain until they burst into flame. I had heated up their organs until they had internally combusted.

By this time they were all aware of my presence. Several spells were sent my way, but I blocked them and with a wave of my hand and created a shield around me. I let my guard down for a second and a disarming charm sent me flying into the nearest wall. SMACK, that was definitely going to bruise.

Now I was pissed. I looked up and my eyes blazed red and that's when I lost it. I sent 5 Death Eaters ablaze and sent 4 more flying somewhere into the trees.

I looked Voldemort directly in the eyes and smirked, but it was what I saw staring back at me that sent me into a fit of laughter (A/N: think insane laughter, crazy). It was fear. I saw fear in the eyes of the man who struck fear into everyone's minds at the mere mention of his name.

With a POP, Voldemort apparated out of there. A dozen or so pops later and I was the only won left.

I stood for the next 5 minutes laughing hysterically. Anyone who would have seen me would have thought I'd gone insane, lost my marbles.

I wasn't until Hermione put a hand on my shoulder and I heard Ron whisper to Dean, "Mental that one, I'm telling ya." That I finally quieted down.

End Flashback

Ok, so I guess my short story turned into a bit of a novel, but it was all necessary information.

But let me turn back to the topic at hand. The last year and few months my life had been complete hell and I have yet to find a moment of peace. I am currently sitting in my favorite bar, Alcool (which is just Italian for Alcohol), a muggle bar Ron and I discovered our first month out of Hogwarts and have been going to ever since. But those good times are over. Now every time I hit a dead end or a faulty lead I come to this bar to drown in my sorrows. I drink until I become numb and pass out. Luckily Ron always finds me and takes me home.

And tonight is no different. I sit at the bar and down glass after glass of some really strong liquor. As the alcohol burns down my throat, my mind wanders. It wanders to a day I consider to be the worst day of my life...

September 1st

Merlin, it hurts to even think about it. I know that by now you wondering what could have possibly happened to me on that day to turn me into a man obsessed with finding answers.

Well, I'm going to tell you, but first I'm going to need to go back a year or so, back to October.

October 1st to be exact. The day I consider to be one of the best days of my life.

Flashback

The wind whips through my hair as I soar over the Quidditch pitch looking for the ever elusive snitch.

I am seeker for England's national team and we are currently playing a friendly against the Irish national team.

As I make my way around the field I can here the shouts of our beloved captain, none other than our keeper Oliver Wood, who is, at the moment berating our beaters.

"What the Bloody Hell is wrong with you two! I don't care if this is a goddamn friendly your half assed jobs are not gonna cut it."

I can only laugh... some people never change. We are up 110-20 and Wood still expects nothing but the best.

I'm doing loops around our goal post listening to Wood when I see it out of the corner of my eye. It's was hovering just above the ground at the mid line, right next to the wall. It's gonna make for one hell of a sudden stop.

I take off in its direction and before you can blink, it's in my hands. That catch gave new meaning to the praise stopping on a dime. Unfortunately Ireland's seeker isn't so lucky and I just get out of the way when he come crashing into the wall. CRUNCH. That's gotta hurt, but that's Quidditch.

Later I find myself in the showers letting the hot water run over my sore muscles. Wood runs us hard. He didn't stop after the friendly. Oh no, we had another 3 hours of practice after that.

As I stand under the faucet I can't help but think about how perfect my life is right now. I'm 21 years old, I've been on England's Quidditch team for 3 years now, I get to have fun for a living. Voldemort hasn't dared shown his face since that day a little over four year ago and best of all I am happily marr...

"HARRY!!"

Hold that thought.

Ron came barreling into the locker room completely out of breath, looking like he'd just run a marathon.

"Harry..."

breath

"you need..."

breath

"to get to..."

breath breath

"Spit it out already!"

"You need to get to St. Mungos NOW"

Shit.

I didn't need to be told twice. I threw on some cloths and ran out of there like my life depended on it and if I didn't get there on time then it very well could be my life. I sprinted through the stadium trying to reach a point where I could apparate.

Bloody Hell, I knew I should have never come today. I knew it would have not been the end of the world if I had stayed home, even if Wood would have thought otherwise

She's gonna kill me.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour I reached the apparation point and I didn't waste any time. Within seconds I was in St. Mungos and racing through the halls. I burst through the doors just in time to hear the wails of a newborn baby and...

"Congratulations Mrs. Potter it's a health baby boy."

I couldn't believe it, I was a father.

I walked tentatively over to my wife as the doctor handed her our son. Oh Merlin I hope she doesn't murder me for missing the birth of our son for a Quidditch game. But when I reach her side and she looks up at me I know all is forgotten, for now.

I look down at the sleeping baby in her arms, "Merlin Hermione, he's beautiful... and so are you. What are we gonna name him."

"Aidan"

End Flashback

Life had never been better. I was on top of the world and nothing could touch me. And that's exactly what got me into trouble. I was too cocky and arrogant, two things I swore I would never be. And yet I thought I was invincible at that time.

Life in the wizarding community was happier and safer than ever. No one had gone mysteriously missing and there had been no unexplained deaths in 4 years. The only thing amiss was the number of wizards coming into St. Mungos with 2 or 3 days missing from their memories, but that was quickly dismissed as someone playing practical jokes.

Everyone had let their guards down thinking that there was no real threat.

Life was good.

I had a beautiful baby boy with shockingly green eyes and light brown hair. Thank Merlin he didn't get that unruly mop I call hair, but the fact that he might have Hermione's hair isn't necessarily a good thing either. I could tell already, he was going to be just as hansom as his father (wink wink).

Aidan was definitely more than I had bargained for, waking up at all hours of the night, crying for no reason, and don't even get me started on those bombs he would drop in his dippers, which I considered to be ten times worse than any dung bombs I had even smelt. But I was determined to be the perfect father and it all paid off when he finally started sleeping through the night.

But it all went to hell all over again when he started to crawl, than walk, he was all over the place. But it was all worth while when he would smile at me, or when I saw the smile he would put on Hermione's face. Yes, these were definitely the happiest times of our lives.

WERE, the happiest times of our lives. That was all about to change, our perfect world was about to come crashing down around us without so much as a warning.

Flashback

"Come on Aidan, you can do it, say dada, come on little man say daddy, even a simple da will do."

"Oh, come off it Harry, he's not even a year old yet and besides you and me both know that the first word out of his mouth is going to be mama."

"That doesn't mean I can't try," I say as I look up and my jaw drops. Hermione is standing there in this little red dress and she is absolutely stunning. "Merlin, you're beautiful."

I took a moment to look at her. I mean really look at her. She's perfect, Aidan's perfect, my life is perfect. But something seemed a little off... wait, styled hair, makeup, little red dress... "What's the occasion?"

"Harry you can't be serious... don't you remember, tonight's September 1st..."

"Yes, and..." Like a date was supposed to mean anything to me.

"You are so daft sometimes. We're going out tonight with Ron and Luna."

"Why would we be... OH." It clicked we had been planning this for weeks. It would be Hermione's and mine first real night out since Aidan had been born. We were going out to celebrate my belated birthday and Hermione's upcoming one.

"Well, don't just stand there we have to be at the restaurant in an hour." She took Aidan off my hands as I went to get spruced up.

I could hear her as I left the room, "mama, say mama Aidan." I chuckled to myself, this means war.

I showered quickly, through on a pair of slacks and a nice button down shirt, and I was down stairs in record time.

"Alright, I'm ready to go." Hermione was one step ahead of me as always. She had Aidan's dipper bag already packed and Aidan in his chair. We were leaving him with a muggle girl named Jenna who lived down the street from us. We met her while we were taking a stroll through the park with Aidan and she had instantly fallen in love with him, but who wouldn't. She had been helping us out with him ever since.

After dropping Aidan off, which took quite a while I might add, Hermione was reluctant to let him out of her sight for so long. But we finally made it to the little muggle restaurant just on time. Ron and Luna were already waiting, "Sorry it took so long, Hermione was having separation anxiety." That earned me a death glare from her.

"I know what you mean mate, the first time we left Kiley Luna had a fit, cried for hours, women." SMACK, Luna hit him upside the head, "That was an exaggeration, you prat, I just had a little trouble letting go."

Did I mention that Ron and Luna had a baby girl... little Kiley was born in December, two months after Aidan. How great is that, our kids will be going to Hogwarts together, best friends no doubt.

Dinner was absolutely delicious and afterwards we decided to hit the clubs. We apparated over to the Snitch, one of London's hottest wizarding clubs.

The music was so loud that you couldn't hear someone even if they shout right in your ear, but I could care less. It felt so good to have Hermione so close to me as we moved to the beat. The way she rubbed up against me was enough to drive me crazy and I didn't know how much longer I could contain myself. Then she kissed that sensitive spot on my neck just below my earlobe. That did it.

"Let's get out of here," I mouthed to her.

She jerked her head in Ron and Luna's direction as if to say 'what about them'

I looked over and rolled my eyes. They were currently engaged in a heated make out session and I doubt they would have noticed if an explosion went off.

I started pulling her towards the door, but she stopped me and gave that 'we're supposed to be hanging out with out friends look.' Fine.

I went over and grabbed Ron as Hermione grabbed Luna, and we dragged them outside.

"Come one you two, cut out the love fest long enough for us to go back to Grimmauld Place for some drinks."

We apparated to a secluded park, so as not to attract any unwanted muggle attention. The park was just around the corner from Jenna's house and we were gonna grab Aidan on the way.

It was a bit of a walk so we entertained ourselves along the way with stories about some of our finer moments at Hogwarts.

Ron was currently telling one of my favorites, although I don't think Hermione enjoyed it much, glaring the whole time muttering to herself...

"...and she came out of the stall, completely covered in hair, with the whiskers, and the eyes, oh man... haha... the ears

"Don't forget the tail," Ron laughed even harder.

"Honestly RONALD, it really wasn't THAT funny."

"Oh yes it was... haha... downright comical, coughing up hair balls for a week, classic."

Hermione was about to reply when a fire truck went wailing by, cutting her off and putting a slight damper on our fun and games.

I started to quicken my pace, eager to find out what all the fuss was about. But it wasn't until the truck turned down my street that I broke into a full sprint, the others not far behind me. I round the corner and stopped dead in my tracks.

"No, no, no, no, this is not happening..." More than a dozen firemen surrounded the blazing inferno that was once Jenna's house. But it was what I saw above the house, just visible through the thick cloud of black smoke that made my heat stop...

The Dark Mark.

A/N: So... wad you think? Suggestions...