Author's note: Hi there! As you may notice, this is a remake of my fic. I was really rather displeased with it, and so I decided to just rewrite the entire story. I hope no one is disappointed, 'case I know I'm not.
A short firts chapter, just to get going.
Please review!

What if Harry's parents hadn't died?

What if Tom Riddle never became evil?

What would the world have been like?

Chapter 1

The sun was shining brightly on the afternoon of August the 31st, 1995. Harry Potter was lying on his back in the grass, behind the small house in Godric's Hollow. With closed eyes, he faced the light blue sky, his hands comfortably placed behind his neck. It was a gorgeous, late summer day, but Harry found it difficult to focus on the present. His mind kept drifting to the day that was quickly coming closer. The departure might've saddened him, and even though he loved being free from school, it was like going home. Both starting and leaving school was like going home.

"Harry?" Startled by the voice, the fifteen-year old boy sat up hastily, his eyes blackening by the sudden motion, and the blood raced back to place. Turning, he noticed the red-headed woman standing in the doorway, leaning against the wall, smiling at him. "We're eating now. Come on."

"Sure, mum." He replied, brushing himself off as he stood and followed his mother into the house.

To Harry's great joy, September was finally there, and before he knew it he was standing at King's Cross, between platforms nine and ten. Firmly pushing his trolley along, he reached the brick wall, which really was so much more than just a brick wall.

"Right then." Said James, popping up from behind his son. "You go first, son, and we'll be right there." Nodding cheerily, Harry walked around his trunk. Gripping the trolley securely, he then leaned casually against the wall. It only took a mere second before he slid through and found himself on platform 9 ¾, surrounded by children of all ages and their parents. On the railway track stood a handsome, deep red locomotive, followed by uncountable carts, onto which bags, trunks and owl cages were being lifted. Moving over, his mum and dad then appeared behind him.

"Right then, come along." James said, placing a hand on his son's shoulder as they approached the steaming engine. His eyes darting between the students, Harry searched for his best friend, Ronald Weasley. They'd met on his very first trip to Hogwarts, when Ron had accidentally tripped over him and sent them both sprawling. Since that day, it was virtually impossible to keep them apart. Unfortunately, though, Harry could spot no fiercely ginger hair, so he let the matter be.

"Alright then, do you have everything?" Lily said before letting a steward grab Harry's trunk and heave it up into the train.

"Yeah, 'course." He replied nonchalantly.

"You sure? Robes, wand, books, broom, cauldron…?"

"Yes, Mum, I have it all." He said tiredly, trying hard not to roll his eyes. James snickered from behind him, but fell silent at the look his wife shot him.

"Okay then. If you have forgotten anything, I'll just send it later…" This time, Harry did roll his eyes. "Oh, whatever. Come here." He let his mother embrace him, but was quick enough to avoid her kiss. "Very funny." She said, grinning at her son. Harry turned to his dad, who also hugged him, though only fleetingly.

"I'll see you at Christmas then." Harry said as he pulled the door open and climbed up.

"Yes you will. Have a good time." James said, closing the door after Harry.

"Try not to get yourself killed, and use that map wisely." Lily said. Harry beamed.

"Will do." The train puffed, a whistle blew and the train started rolling. Harry waved for a moment, but then set off down the carriages to find his friends. Half way through the train, he spotted Draco Malfoy, the pale, blonde, arrogant pure-blood wizard who lived to make life hell for Harry. Why he didn't know. Slytherin and Gryffindor just didn't like each other, of principal.

"Well look who it is. Harry Potter." Draco drawled as he caught sight of Harry, staring at him from the aisle outside the compartment. Rising, Draco walked over to the doorway, standing mere feet from Harry. "All alone are we? Where're your friends? Oh, no, sorry, you don't have any, do you?"

"Oh, stuff it." Harry growled, scurrying past the sniggering Slytherins.

"Yes, run along why don't you." Malfoy called after him, before slamming the door shut and settling back in with his fellow Slytherins. A few carts later, Harry finally found the person he'd been looking for.

"Ron!" he exclaimed, marching into the compartment. Sitting together with Dean Thomas, Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger was indeed Ron, who looked up at his name. His face broke into a smile as he saw who it was.

"Harry! We were wondering when you'd turn up, mate."

"Hiya Harry." Seamus said, lifting his hand in greeting.

"Ron, Seamus." He sat down opposite Ron, by the window, and leaned back. Hermione had her nose in a book, and Ginny was intently reading a piece of parchment, the contents of which Harry could not see. The Weasley girl usually tagged along with them, and Harry really didn't mind. She was nice, a bit shy perhaps, but funny and rather witty. Hermione didn't have a lot of people to hang around with, but truth be told, Harry enjoyed her company, even though she could be extremely annoying with her know-it-all attitude. In any case, however reluctant she may be to it, Hermione often helped him with his homework, and he really was her forever grateful for it.

"So, what's up?" Ron sighed.

"Not much. Hey, guess who got the badge?" For a moment, Harry felt rather confused, but it dawned on him after a second or two. Prefects, fifth year, right.

"No, who?" Ron rolled his eyes.

"Neville." Harry burst out laughing.

"Neville? Well, I suppose he's the one out of the five of us who is most suited for it." Ron smirked at this. "Who else?" Ron raised an eyebrow, his eyes siding towards Hermione for only a split second and then back. "Can't say I'm surprised." Harry saw Hermione smile contently from behind her book, even though she didn't acknowledge their talking about her.

"Feels good to be going back." Seamus said, grinning.

"Sure does. Hey!" Harry remembered. "You'll never guess what my dad gave me." Reaching into his backpack, Harry rummaged about for a minute before extracting an old piece of parchment, cracked at the edges and thoroughly yellow.

"Parchment. Great, Harry." Ginny said sceptically. Harry only shot her a sarcastic look, and pulled his wand out. This movement made even Hermione put her book down.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Hermione raised her eyebrows, but remained silent. In an instant, faded writing appeared on the large piece of parchment.

"Whoa. What's that?" Seamus said, leaning in closer to have a good look at the appearing map.

"It's a map. The Marauders Map."

"… and I wish you all a very good night's sleep." Professor Dumbledore stepped down and students started standing up, making their way to the exit and back to their respective common rooms and dormitories. Hermione was on her feet before Harry'd even registered the Headmaster's words, and she started ushering first years towards the exit.

"Come on, Gryffindor first years, this way please." She said with a voice full of authority and confidence, causing Ron and Harry to roll their eyes at one another. The friends got up, seeing Neville rush after Hermione, looking a bit nervous about the whole Prefect thing.

"Do you think he'll cope with it?" Seamus asked as they walked up the stairs, accompanied by Dean Thomas.

"Dunno. I hope so. He'd be crushed if they decided to take it away from him." Ron said, as they turned a corner and walked over to the portrait.

"Maybe, maybe not. If he's that stressed about it then maybe he'd prefer to just leave it." Harry shrugged.

"Mimbulus mimbletonia." Dean said to the portrait. "Well, that's a good one. At least Neville'll remember it." They all laughed as they walked across the red and gold decorated common room, and headed up the stairs for the boy's dorm. Harry hastily changed into his striped pyjamas, eager to get out of his tie, which felt almost choking after the large portion of treacle pudding he'd had after dinner. The other boys did the same thing, and when they'd all clambered into bed, the door opened to let Neville in.

"Hi there, Neville." Ron grinned. Neville Longbottom just groaned and flung himself onto his bed.

"Did you know that eleven year old girls are the most annoying things on the planet?"

Well then. I hope everyone enjoyed this, keep you eyes open for chapter 2!

M. Sunshine