A/N: Hello again dear readers! It sure has been a long time, and I know that you're probably irritated that this isn't a new chapter of "Wands, Noahs, and Innocence", but be assured that that particular fic and it's sequel are back on track! I think I might go back and edit some things before I start posting new chapters, but it shouldn't be too long now. Oh, and as always...

Disclaimer: This story is written purely for fun; all intellectual property and characters belong to their rightful creators/owners.

Important Reader's Note: In canon, Harry was born on July 31, 1980, and Matt was born on February 1, 1990. For the sake of this story I have skewed the HP time line so that James and Lily married in 1981 rather than 1978, and that Lily was pregnant before they were married. Therefore, there was a three year gap between Lily and James graduating Hogwarts and their marriage. Furthermore, Matt will be born in 1982, and Harry in 1986, giving them about a four year difference. Matt was dropped off at Wammy's in 1985, and Harry will be starting Hogwarts in 1997. The story begins the Summer before Harry's fifth year, in 2002. Harry is 15, Matt is 19, and Mello is 20 (I think?). Both Mello and Matt have left Wammy's House and are working in the mafia. I don't care how old Mello was when he gained his position in canon, he is a mafia boss here.

Another important point, is that Matt and Mello left Wammy's before L's death, and after it, the three teamed up in their anger, taking down Kira and ending his reign of terror. For now, Light and Misa are not involved in the plot. Mello ignores Near's existence, but Matt (very) occasionally messages him. Due to an accident, however, Mello has his scar.

Prologue

Even among the special residents of Wammy's house, Mail was a odd case. It had been a surprise to everyone, especially the staff when, on a brisk Spring morning, a young couple arrived with their redheaded son. No one was sure how the pair had heard of the orphanage, but there wasn't much that the staff could do but usher them in out of the cold.

"You want us to board him?" the orphanage's founder and curator, Quillish Wammy, raised his graying eyebrows at the trio, paying special attention to the small boy sitting quietly in his mother's lap. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, I know that it's an incredibly odd request," the mother, named Lily Evans-Potter, said quietly, peering adoringly down at her child, "but Mail is... to be quite frank he's too smart for us." Wammy quickly schooled his features in order to not betray his shock, it was one thing for the couple to know the whereabouts and existence of the orphanage, it was much more worrying that they knew what type of children the place held. "Not only that, but..." the beautiful redhead bit her lip, "there is something of a... religious extremist after my husband and I. He doesn't know of Mail's existence right now, but..." Wammy nodded his head sagely. "You're worried."

"Very worried," the woman's husband piped in, "Not only is Lily pregnant again," the woman blushed slightly, "but Mail is basically everything that the madman chasing us hates." Ruffling his child's hair, James was the perfect image of a distraught father. "We'll keep in touch and pay you, of course. And we'll visit any chance that we have."

Wammy looked down at the child who, during the course of the conversation, had somehow managed to escape from his mother's grasp and was meticulously reassembling a security camera that had been taken down for repairs. His mother blushed again, at Wammy's amused expression, shooting the man an embarrassed glance, "We don't really have electronics at home..."

Even from where he was sitting, Wammy could tell that the camera was close to being repaired, and the parents were obviously terrified for their son; he would have to do some research on them, but... "We should be able to find a space for young Mail here. We have some details to go over of course, including your boy's pseudonym..."

o O o

Lily and James Potter remained true to their word, sending money, gifts, and letters to the orphanage and their son, now going by the name of Matt Jeevas, when they couldn't visit. Things were getting tense around them, the religious extremist – who, oddly enough, Wammy was having difficulty finding information on, (a cover-up?) - becoming more active. Mail, on the other hand, was happy. He was challenged at Wammy's, and, given that it was in the Muggle world, there was nothing wrong with him being unable to use magic. No one there even knew about magic.

Things continued in a blissful manner for all parties involved until, in the Summer of 1986, a little over a year since Mail had arrived at Wammy's House, Lily and James' letters suddenly stopped coming.