Disclaimer: This is not my property. I've merely borrowed it. It belongs to JK Rowling and subsequent parties. i.e.: Warner Bros., Scholastic books... etc. This is the one and only serious disclaimer I will use. Remember is.

A/N: This is completely AU. While I take into account some things I learned from OotP, the Death did not occur.

Out of Sight; Out of Mind

Chapter One: The Infirmary

Three young men were strolling through the castle of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, tucked safely underneath an invisibility cloak. James Potter, his best friend Sirius Black, and their fellow Marauder, also best friend, Remus Lupin. They were on their way to the Hospital Wing to see the fourth of their group, Peter Pettigrew, who had been injured earlier that day in a prank gone awry. But when they laid their hands upon the oak doors, the doors began to glow. A soft white glow the wreathed them in fog. A strange feeling of being weightless, yet at the same time extremely heavy overcame them. Suddenly, the glow was gone, as were the sensations. They shared a confused look before returning to the task at hand. Peter. Only, it wasn't their friend in the bed when they entered. In fact, the person in the bed looked just like James, except for the scar on his forehead in a lightning bolt shape.

"What the hell just happened, Moony?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know, Padfoot." Remus replied, "but we've got to figure it out."

"Who the bloody hell is that?" James demanded, gaping.

Before any of them could say anymore, however, the doors to the hospital wing opened and in came... nobody. Nobody was whispering amongst themselves as they moved toward the familiar looking stranger's bed. Then, Nobody became two Somebodies as an invisibility cloak was pulled off. A red haired boy and a bushy, brown haired girl.

"Do you think it was You-Know-Who again, 'Mione?" whispered the redhead.

"I'm not sure, Ron. I mean, Dumbledore didn't tell us much, just that Harry was in here and we could see him tomorrow. But I'd bet it was. He's been acting all funny lately, like he's hiding things. Last time he did that, it was because of Voldemort," the girl - 'Mione - whispered back.

Ron shuddered at the name, and Hermione noticed.

"Oh Ron! Stop. Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself, remember. Besides, if Harry can say his name, so can you."

The three under James' cloak stared, wide eyed and open mouthed at the two before them. They didn't know what was going on, but they were sure they weren't going to like it. They had to see Dumbledore.

Ron and Hermione sat on either side of Harry's bed, talking softly over him so as not to wake him. The doors opened again, soundlessly this time, and the Headmaster and a great, grim-like dog entered. Followed by what was definitely an older, more worn version of Remus Lupin.

Albus Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled and his beard twitched while he took in the scene.

James, Sirius, and Remus stared in growing horror as the dog passed them with only a glance in their direction. But they knew that dog. They had seen it every full moon since their fifth year. Padfoot.

"Ah. Miss Granger, Mr Weasley. I thought I might find you here."

Hermione jumped up from her seat.

"I-I'm sorry sir. We were just so worried about Harry..." she trailed off as the dog resumed a human shape. "Sirius! Professor Lupin!" she cried.

The boy in the bed began to move about, restless, as though he were waking.

The three hidden boys watched in astonishment as their friends, who two of them were, looked on the figure lying there. Sirius looked old. Haunted, somehow. Like there were many hardships he had faced in his not so long life. Remus looked worn, aged beyond his years.

Professor Dumbledore murmured a question to Sirius, and he gestured in the direction of his younger self and James and Remus. Dumbledore turned and nodded.

"Miss Granger, Mr Weasley. I don't want to hear a word from you two right now." The two in question exchanged startled, confused looks before nodding.

"You three can come out now." Dumbledore said.

The invisibility cloak fell off them as they stepped out from it. Hermione gasped, and Ron began muttering things under his breath, but neither woke the sleeping boy.

"James Potter!" breathed Hermione. Dumbledore shot her a sharp look, but said nothing.

James looked back at the girl who so obviously knew him. He wondered how she did, but didn't question it just yet. The older versions of Sirius and Remus were looking at him as though they were about to cry. The young redhead was looking at him as if he'd seen a ghost. Dumbledore just twinkled merrily at them all.

"Let's adjourn to my office, shall we? I do believe we need to have a talk."

"Sirius?" a weak voice called before they could move from the room. Both Sirius' turned, the older version moving swiftly to the bed and sitting on the edge of it.

Remus followed, but stayed standing behind Sirius. A look of helplessness crossed his features. "You should be here too, James," he murmured softly to himself. But James heard him. He started forward, stopping only when Dumbledore placed a restraining hand on his shoulder and shook his head. They melted back into the shadows, not wanting to disturb the young man further.

"I'm here, Harry," Sirius said softly.

"Oh Merlin. It was awful, Sirius. He tortured him for so long. He didn't even use Avada Kedavra to kill him. Just tortured him to death."

Dumbledore had turned at the first words, his face grave as he approached the bed. None saw the dark shadow enter the room, wearing a black cloak and holding a black hood in his fisted hand.

"Who, Harry?"

"Voldemort. Vernon."

The two young Gryffindor's exchanged startled looks. If the Dark Lord could get Harry's uncle, then what chance did the rest of them have?

The three young men watched the interaction with puzzled minds. They knew who Voldemort was, of course. He had been raining terror down on their world for seven years. None dared to speak his name. Except Dumbledore. And now this young one. Harry.

"Harry, I need you to tell me how he got to your uncle."

Harry sighed but nodded.

"He... my uncle, was at Grunnings. You know, where he works. He must have been working late or something, because he was the only one there. All the other cubicles were empty."

Harry closed his eyes again, thinking back as Sirius held his hand.

"There was... there were about ten of them. Death Eaters. They played with him while Voldemort watched." Everyone flinched at the sound of his name except the Headmaster. The dark shadow by the door started forward then stopped himself, a look of twisted hatred and concern marring his normally stoic mask. "They cast so many curses that I can't even remember them all. There was one, though. One Death Eater who cast curses, but few and far between," Harry trailed off as his eyes sought out and found the man by the door. He nodded his understanding once, even though the black eyes that watched him regarded him disdainfully.

"What did Voldemort do, Harry?"

"Cruciatus. And one, I don't know what it's called, but it seemed to slice deep into Vernon's skin."

"Excuse me a moment, Harry." Harry watched as Dumbledore went over to talk to the newcomer, never noticing the others standing there. Not until Hermione threw herself at him and hugged him with Ron just behind her.

"'Mione... can't breath." He gasped.

"Sorry Harry! I'm just. Oh Merlin. You had to watch?"

Harry just closed his eyes again, but he squeezed Sirius' hand tightly.

"Hey mate." said Ron. Harry looked up at him.

"'Lo Ron. Aren't you two supposed to be in the dorms?" he asked, jokingly.

"Nah. Not when we've got your cloak and the Map. Old Filch'll never catch us."

"Besides, Professor Dumbledore knows we're here, and he'll probably have someone escort us back to the Tower."

Harry nodded. Ron knew better than to leave Gryffindor without the cloak and Map, and Hermione's logic made perfect sense, as usual.

Professor Dumbledore moved back towards Harry's bed, towing Professor Severus Snape along in his wake.

"Miss Granger, Mr Weasley. I would like you to wait over there for me, please."

Hermione nodded and withdrew, making her way towards the threesome standing in the corner. Ron, however, wasn't going to leave his friend's side without a fight. He sputtered a protest before Harry spoke up. Telling him that it would only be for a few minutes, and to go be with Hermione. Ron glanced at Sirius and Remus who nodded at him before sighing and joining his girlfriend.

Curtains were pulled around Harry's bed as the five watched. Soft murmuring came from behind it. Hermione turned to face James, Sirius and Remus with what Ron recognized as her 'I'm going to find out what's going on' look. She was just about to speak when a harsh voice made them all jump.

"Potter! How many times do I have to tell you? Do. Not. Say. His. Name!"

Hermione, facing the three, was in the perfect position to watch as James' face went white and his eyes bulged.

"P-Potter? He's a Potter? But how?"

"Simple, James," said Hermione. "He's your son."

A/N: Well, that's it for this chapter. Let me know what you think!
I'm rather proud as this is chapter one, and it's got 1,528 words, chapter only. I will note that it will take between two weeks and a month for each update, as I'll try to make them long. And they have to be edited, of course.