A/N: This is my main story. This is the one that has spawned all the other little offshoots that have titles that make glorified pronouns after the colon. Dear God, help me write this well.

I'm not J.K. Rowling, and I make no claims to the Harry Potter Universe. I do make claim, however, to this idea.

Please enjoy.

-TMITH

Harry Potter: Master of the Multiverse

Chapter One

Last One Alive

At the young, tender age of 15 months old, Harry Potter's life was forever changed. Up to that point, he lived with his parents, James and Lily Potter, at their house in Godric's Hollow. However, a Seer had spoken a prophecy, and unfortunately for the Potters, young Harry fit the description:

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have powers the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives. … The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"

Upon the night of October 31st, 1995, Lord Voldemort broke into the home of James and Lily Potter. A flash of red light and the sound of crumbling stone gave entrance to the Dark Lord. He took his time, stepping carefully over the rubble that had been the front wall of the Potter's cottage.

James Potter perked up at the sound of the explosion, sounding directly beneath them.

"What was that?" asked a nervous Lily Potter, cradling her infant son in her arms. Harry was crying, Lily trying to soothe him.

"I dunno… I think he's found us!" He panicked. "Run! Go upstairs! Get out!" urged James. He gave his wife and son a quick kiss, and as he ran out the door, he turned.

"I love you, Lily. Keep Harry safe." Then, he ran down the stairs.

Voldemort was perusing the home. He wanted to know his enemies better before they died at his feet, and he wanted to better feel the anguish they would feel when he killed them. He paused in the middle of the living room, catching that nice, cool breeze, and looked at the photographs of the family. Harry playing with a candy wand. James and Lily's marriage. James and Sirius playing with Harry. He smiled.

So many lives were about to be ruined. He recalled the meeting with Pettigrew before he left the Malfoy's Mansion:

"Thank you, Wormtail. Tonight, we will have our victory, and I shall fear only Dumbledore. Were it not for your betrayal, I may never have found the Potters," Voldemort said. Wormtail shuddered at the utterance of 'betrayal', but was more frightened of his Lord than James or Lily. "You are absolutely sure they are home?"

"Ye-yes, my Lord. They are. They owled me back quickly," Wormtail meekly stuttered.

"Good," the Lord responded. He grinned madly, and when he grinned, well…

Good people died.

He kicked one of Harry's stuffed animals out of the way, and began to ascend the stairs, when a man that jumped from around the stairwell corner, confirming Wormtail's information. James quickly took action.

"Expelliarmus!" he shouted. Voldemort was flung out of the stairwell and over the couch. He regained his strength and stood back up. He faced James, and the man stood in a dueling position.

"A very lucky shot, Mr. Potter. It shall be your last. Reducto!" he returned, destroying the stairs. James dove out just before the spell hit, only to be hit by a falling chunk of wall.

"Crucio!" Voldemort continued. James began screaming, writhing in agony as the Dark Lord closed the gap. He had a terrible sneer on his face. "Now, James Potter, your time to die has finally arrived. I shall kill your Muggle-born wife, and your heir. The Potters will be no more!"

"Over my dead body!" James replied, taking a weak kick at the wizard. As it fell short, Voldemort merely smiled.

"Indeed. Avada Kedavra!"

And with a green flash of light, the life of James Potter was extinguished.

Lily Potter was on the third floor, cradling her infant son, laying him into his crib. She had no way out, no place to go. Harry continued to cry, reaching for his mother.

"Hush, Harry dear. Everything will be alright. Mommy promises," a tearful Lily said.

"Actually, Ms. Potter, I'm afraid that they won't," Voldemort said, entering the room.

"Reduc-" Lily began, but with a wordless flick of his wand, Voldemort sent hers flying.

"Ah ah aahhh," he chided musically, "I'll be having none of that dear. Expelliarmus." Lily was flung against the far wall, away from the crib. The Dark Lord looked into the crib, to find young Harry silent but red-faced. "Ah! Here's the man of the hour! I've found him. Look at your black hair, so unruly," Voldemort, patted his hair, patronizing, "just like your daddy's. Your eyes are so pretty, just like your mum's, Harry." Harry's eyes welled up, and he began to cry loudly. Voldemort shifted Harry into one arm, cradling him, and turned to Lily. She began to wake up from her momentary blackout.

"No, please, don't kill him! You've already taken James from me! Take my life instead! Harry is no threat to you! Please, spare him!" she sobbed, extending her arms for her boy.

"But he has been foretold as my killer, Ms. Potter. Why should I do that?" he replied. "No, I think I'll kill you first, and you can watch helplessly from the afterlife as I kill him."

"You can kill me, but spare him, PLEASE!" she sobbed again. She started to climb up, trying to stand.

"Happy Halloween, Ms. Potter. Avada Kedavra!" and with that, Lily Potter slumped over, dead. Harry began to cry furiously. "Shshshshshshhhhh, Harry. No need to cry! I've got you," Voldemort said. He laid Harry down in his crib, and pointed his wand at the child. "Avada Kedavra!"

The spell formed a ball at the end of his wand, growing larger for just a moment. The Dark Lord's eyes widened. Then, it rushed forth, like a dam bursting, and hit the boy. Upon contact, it did something no one had ever seen before.

It rebounded.

"NooooOOOOOO!" Voldemort yelled. He raised his arms to shield himself in the split second he had before the spell came back and destroyed his body in an explosion. The magical rebound tore a hole where the roof had been. Harry passed out, but as he fell asleep, something appeared on his head. Something that defined him as the only person that ever lived through the Killing Curse.

There was a scar on his forehead, in the shape of a lightning bolt.

The legacy of 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' began.

A/N: Ahh, here's the main story. I'm glad it's up. Don't be offended: For each Chapter One, the chapter will be much the same. However, it is a good idea to read them all, because there are slight variations that make a difference in the story.

Well, I hope that was okay. I encourage you to continue reading, and to read my other recent stories if you enjoyed this one. I also encourage you to review so that I may know what was good and what was less than good.

Also, you'll note that the word is 'powers,' not merely 'power,' in the Prophecy. This is important.

If you noticed a spelling error or a grammatical error, feel free to PM me and tell me what it is. Politely, if possible.

Source for the Prophecy: harrypotter(.)wikia(.)com/wiki/Prophecy