Summary: Harry starts his search for the Horcruxes after the disastrous events of his sixth year but when the truth comes to light, will Harry be able to cope? New friends, new enemies and strange new powers…

Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter, nor anything to do with J.K's world of imagination. The only profit I make from these stories is the ability to enjoy playing with what is not mine. ; I could never be the genius that Rowling is.

"speech" :'thoughts' : dreams and writing : "mind speech" :parseltounge:

Prologue

In a dense, dark and all-together frightening forest a great tree stood and hidden within its emerald leaves an impossible amount of life thrived. Birds, ranging from the massive albatross to the tiny hummingbird nested or perched in its branches. Squirrels and chipmunks scurried up and down the immense trunk, filling its' every nook and cranny with their little treasures. A peace one never would have believed possible resided here. If ever there was such a thing as the Tree of Life, many would consider this it.

This night though, beneath the tree's boughs, something was out of place. The figure of a rather boyish looking girl lay tangled within the long grasses. In fact, had she not been wearing a rather revealing black nightgown, which showed small mounds that were her breasts, she might have been a boy.

A curious unicorn colt cautiously walked up to her. It sniffed at her uncertainly and then began to nibble on her cropped ebony hair. The girl moaned, causing the colt to bolt around the tree. After she had made no noise for a few minutes, it peeked out. Another person had entered the solitude around the tree.

The colt trotted out to meet this visitor…they had been there many times before and was not a stranger. The aging man kneeling beside the girl looked up at it and smiled, his gray eyes shining through a mop of silver-streaked hair. He urged it to come closer. It snorted at him but came closer. The man leaned the girl on the trunk and pulled a vial from his tattered robes. The girl moaned again as he set the vial to her lips but she opened her mouth and swallowed the concoction down obediently. Seemingly at once her body went limp and she let out a large, relieved sigh. The man then pulled out a slender stick and tapped the empty vial while whispering something. He patted the colt on the head, making it snort once more. Then both the man and the odd girl were gone.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1: Strangers and Familial Issues

At the same moment, Harry Potter shot up from his bed, sweating profusely. Tears were mingled in with his sweat. Ever since he arrived back at Number 4 Privet Drive, dreams of Professor Dumbledore's death had been haunting him. He slipped on his glasses and glanced at the alarm clock beside his bed. Three thirty. The Dursley's would be deeply asleep by now. Climbing out of bed he snuck down the hall into the bathroom.

Though he had only been at the Dursley's for a week's time, Harry felt that this summer could not be any worse. The only good thing, he felt, was that He had finally persuaded Ron and Hermione to leave him at the Dursley's. He had to take a wizards oath saying that he wouldn't leave Privet Drive without them, though. Everyone else was asking if he was ok, always inviting them to their houses. They didn't know, of course, that he planned never to see many of them again. A rush of anger swelled inside him and he sought to suppress it. His heightened emotions had already cost him his bedroom windows. They were too uncontrollable for him to let them out. Because of that reason, his face often held a blank mask. Much like the one Dumbledore used…

He grasped his chest as though to quell the ache that ran through his heart. Fresh tears ran down his cheeks and memories flashed in front of his eyes. He backed up and collapsed against the wall. If only they had believed him! If only they had listened to his warnings! He told them Snape and Draco were up to no good! Now Dumbledore was dead! Harry gasped painfully and bit his bottom lip. It wouldn't do him any good to wake up the Dursleys. He stood up, turned the faucet on with shaking hands and washed his face of tears. He sighed and left the bathroom.

Harry stopped half way down the hall. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he hadn't noticed the noise till now. Someone was sobbing. Harry scrunched his face in confusion. Who…and for that matter why, would a Dursley be crying at this time of night? He moved towards the sound. It was coming from Dudley's room. As quietly as he could, Harry twisted the handle and peeked in.

Dudley Dursley, Big-D, tormentor of his childhood, was curled up, fetal position, in the center of his bed. Covers were strewn across the floor and a pillow was leaning against a wall. Harry stepped back and rocked on his feet, uncertain what to do. Should he leave and pretend it never happened or should he go in and comfort his cousin? Eventually his conscious won over. He strode over to the bed and cautiously sat down on an edge. Dudley paid no notice.

Harry bit his lip. "Dudley?" No reaction. "Dudley." The crying boy shot up and looked at Harry, horrified. Harry quickly backed up and held his hands up, signaling he hadn't meant anything and hurriedly headed towards the door. He shook his head. How could I have been so stupid? Dudley doesn't want me to comfort him. I'm lucky Dudley hadn't started screaming yet.

"I'm alone." It was said in the barest of whispers, but Harry heard. He turned to look at his cousin.

"What?" Dudley looked up. His eyes glistened with despair and desperation that completely baffled Harry.

"I'm alone! Nobody cares about me! Nobody likes me!" Harry walked slowly up to the bed.

"That's not true. Uncle Vernon and Au…"

"They don't count! They're my parents, they have to love me." Harry was silent…unsure of what to say. Dudley continued, "I…I don't have any friends. And before you say my gang, they're not my friends. I know they just hang around me because I'm the biggest and the strongest. They'd leave me in a second if anyone better came along." Harry was reminded of Voldemort and how he was at this age. He held the power then. Dudley was watching Harry again. "I've always been jealous of you." Harry looked at him, shock.

"W…what?"

"That's why I teased you. You have friends that write you over the summer and give you things…I've seen the packages. I've never gotten a gift that wasn't from family." He shifted on the bed. "I've never had a girlfriend either. Not even the ones desperate for power want to go out with me. I'm too ugly." Comprehension dawned on Harry. On Harry's first night back last summer, Aunt Petunia went to take Dudley off his diet, being that she had to feed Harry more( due to the threat from the Order), she would obviously need to feed her Diddy Dumpkins more as well. Dudley said he wanted to stay on it. Well, we can certainly say that Harry wasn't the only one shocked.

The silence after Dudley's last statement continued so Harry stood up to leave. "Thank you." Startled, he turned back around.

"What?" Harry was beginning to get irritated. He had been confused too many times in one night for his liking.

"Had those dementors not come after you that time, I would have never figured it out. All the teasing my friends," He spat that last word, "said to me. I thought they were just joking. They weren't." His voice cracked and Harry winced. It was beyond wrong to see his cousin so distressed…and then confiding in him. Dudley had begun talking again. "If you hadn't brought those things…I would have continued to live my life blindly." He chuckled slightly. Harry never would have imaging his cousin so…mature. "Can you imagine how sorry I would've been had I not figured it out when I did?" He looked at Harry, tears were brimming. "So…thank you."

"You know Dud, it's not too late to change…"

"It is! My reputation is already set at Smeltings and Dad would never let me change schools. Me getting excepted there was the happiest moment of his life…I don't to ruin that."

"But Dudley, do you really want to live a lie? Anyways, it's your life. You make your own decisions." Harry shook his head. What was he doing giving his cousin advice? Dudley didn't answer. He was staring at his feet, looking lost. Harry turned and left. What was wrong with the world? Had he been thrown into some alternate universe where he and his cousin were civil people to each other?

Harry woke again to the sounds of yelling and crying. He lurched out of bed, wand in hand and charged down the stairs. Dumbledore's protection failed. He should have known it would fail after his… He growled and entered the kitchen, ready to spell the first death eater he saw…but there wasn't any.

Dudley and Vernon Dursley stood face to face screaming at each other, faces red with rage.

"YOU WILL KEEP GOING TO SMELTINGS!"

"I WILL NOT! AND I WILL NOT LET YOU STAND HERE AND TELL ME WHAT I HAVE TO BE!" Uncle Vernon looked shocked and horribly confused. Petunia sat in a chair near by sobbing.

"Wha…what? I DON'T TELL YOU WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE!"

"YES YOU DO! YOU'RE THE REASON I'M A BULLY!" He shook his head fiercely. "Had you not hated Harry, I wouldn't have known to bully people." There was absolute silence. Vernon turned his head to look at said boy and pointed a fat finger at him.

"YOU! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SON!" Harry never got a chance to answer, not that he was sure he could anyways. He was much too confused to think let alone speak.

"SEE! THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! YOU ALWAYS BLAME HIM! I'M THE ONE YELLING AT YOU! HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING!" Harry continued to stand in the doorway, completely shocked. One moment the conversation had been about Smeltings and now Dudley was defending him! The world must have flipped its hinges!

"ENOUGH!" Petunia stood, wiping tears from her face. Everyone turned to her.

"Petunia, dear?"

"Quiet Vernon. Now, you listen to me…all of you!" She pointed her finger at her husband and son and then at Harry. "I don't know what has gotten into you all but it will stop! Vernon, if Dudley doesn't want to go to Smelting, we won't force him too." He looked at his wife with wide eyes.

"But Pe…"

"I said quiet! I understand that it's been a family tradition for the oldest son to go to Smeltings but do you really want someone with such dismal grades as your son's holding up that legacy?" Dudley winced and Harry had to feel sorry for him.

"Well…I suppose not." Uncle Vernon still didn't look quite sure of himself but he said nothing. Aunt Petunia turned to Dudley.

"And I love you dear but all this moping has to stop. It's not healthy." She pointed a bony finger at Harry again. "And that goes for you too!" Harry gave her an icy glare and left the room. How dare she! She'd be moping too if she had witnessed a loved ones murder! Not that he was moping anyways.

He muttered to himself and headed back to his room. Bill and Fleur's wedding was to be taking place in two days time. He would attend but he wouldn't stay long. Afterwards he planned on going to Grimmauld place with Ron and Hermione. They already had it set up. They would sneak off as soon as everyone was in bed after the wedding with only a note to the others.

Since Dumbledore's death, the Order of Phoenix had become disorganized. They had yet to elect a new leader and until they did, the Grimmauld place was lost to them. Professor Dumbledore, being the secret keeper for the place had had Harry's permission to use it for Order meetings but now that permission was void. Harry had no intention on letting them use it again. It was to become his hide-out now. Although, that thought disgusted him.

Harry had decided against going to Godric Hollow. He still planned to visit there to see his parents' graves but he didn't want to risk the lives of his friends anymore then he had to and as far as he knew, that place had no protections. That's why he chose to go to Grimmauld place. Well…that and its library.

The first step for the trio while they were there was to look into the initials of R.A.B, found on a note in a fake Horcrux. The Black Manor had an extensive library and if need be they were prepared to use Harry's invisibility cloak to sneak into Flourish and Blotts and search through their books. Perhaps they would even sneak into Knockturn Alley. In order to continue Dumbledore's quest for Voldemort's horcruxes (objects containing parts of Voldemort's soul), they needed to know where to find them and in all honesty, R.A.B was the only clue they had. Worse yet, that would only lead to one of the four remaining horcruxes…if it wasn't already destroyed.

Harry sighed and buried his face in his pillow. There was still so much planning needed to be done. Tomorrow he'd be with Hermione and Ron…they could start planning then. And with that thought he drifted off to sleep.

Harry was in a large stone room watching a cowering figure wearing the black robes of a Death Eater. The white skull-like mask was attached to a cord around his waist.

"So, Draco, You thought I would not learn of your failure?" He said. Immediately he recognized it as Voldemort's voice. 'A vision then. I hope Draco's punished severely'. He felt Voldemort smile at the trembling boy.

"N…no my Lord." His voice was ragged. 'So he's already been punished?'

"Then why is that I did not hear of it as soon as you returned?" Harry mentally shook his head. He knew what was coming. "Crucio!"

Draco's scream was piercing and tormented. He writhed on the ground clutching his stomach as if to hold back the pain. Harry tried to turn his head, disgusted and feeling guilty. No one deserved this torture. But of course, he couldn't look away.

So Harry watched him and for the first time, Harry actually looked at him. His hair was dirty and disheveled. His normally clean robes were splattered with mud and what looked suspiciously like blood. Harry also noticed, with not a little shock, that the robes were the same ones he had been wearing the night of...the betrayal. What had this boy been through? Harry remembered Draco's reluctance when the opportunity to kill Dumbledore had shown it's self. He remembered Dumbledore's words, "Come over to the right side, Draco...you are not a killer…." Then he remembered what Draco had said right after he had cornered them, "I've got to do it! He'll kill me! He'll kill my whole family!" Could Draco be turned back to the right path? Had he ever been on the wrong one in the first place?

Harry's thoughts were interrupted when his scar began to sear painfully as Voldemort grinned with sadistic pleasure. Harry screamed and grabbed at it but it continued to burn. Voldemort lifted his wand and both Draco and Harry stopped screaming, though both were panting heavily. Harry's scar became the dull throb it had been from the beginning.

"Draco, you disappoint me. Your father assured me of your loyalty yet you cannot follow the simple order of 'kill Dumbledore'?" A mocking sneer was evident in the Dark Lord's voice. Draco stayed on his knees panting and dry heaving. "Perhaps I should kill him?"

That instantly got Draco's attention. "N…no! Please, my Lord! I will do whatever my Lord wishes!" The blonde haired boy crawled to the edge of the throne and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes. He looked on with disgust.

"Insolent child! You are not worthy enough to touch me!" He turned to a figure on his right that Harry hadn't noticed before. "Wormtail, summon Lucius."

The figure bowed low. "Y…yes m…my Lord." He scurried off. In the moments it took for Wormtail to return with Lucius, Harry watched as Draco sobbed at the Dark Lord's feet. He had curled up once more although he was still on his knees. Nagini, Voldemort's large pet snake slithered towards Draco and wrapped its coils gently around him. Harry felt Lord Voldemort's surprise and had to admit that he was pretty surprised himself. Voldemort's sneer returned.

"My snake doesn't want me to kill you Draco. Consider yourself lucky." Just then, Wormtail and Lucius appeared through the door in front of him. The latter kneeled before him.

"Ah, Lucius, what a pleasure to see you. I've just come up with the most wonderful plan to test your son's loyalty to me."

"What my Lord?" The Dark Lord's gaze fell upon Draco.

"You will do whatever I wish?"

Draco replied instantly. "Yes my Lord!"

"Perfect. Lucius, you have outlived your usefulness in my ranks. Draco, kill him." Both men looked up at their master, startled.

"M…my Lord, surely he is still u…?"

"KILL HIM DRACO!" Lucius continued to look forward with a look of resignation. Draco stared at him horrified. His wand hand shook and he mumbled something.

"What was that?" Harry could feel the Dark Lord's anger building.

"I CAN'T DO IT!" He flung his wand to the floor and embraced his father. Lucius turned to his son, revulsion clearly etched in his features and he shoved him off.

"Disgusting child! You dare defy our master! I am ashamed to call you my own!" He paused for a second. "AND I WON'T!" Draco stared at his father, stunned. The tears he had been crying stopped their flow and there was a thick silence.

"Fath…"

"FILTH! Do not call me by that!" Another silence…broken by a quiet chuckle that quickly rose into a roar of laughter. Lord Voldemort was laughing!

"Wormtail, retrieve Narcissa. I believe a family reunion is in order," he said through his mirth. Harry felt his stomach clench just as his scar burned. How could he find families being torn apart funny? Wormtail was gone for barely a second before he came back in with Narcissa. Her face took on a panicked expression as her eyes flickered between her son and the Dark Lord.

"Now that all the Malfoys are here, we can begin. Draco, this is what happens when you defy the Dark Lord!" He lifted his wand to point it at the blonde woman.

"Avada Kedavra!" She crumpled to the stone floor silently and laid still. Draco gagged and fell back. Voldemort's wand turned to the resolute Lucius and he repeated the unforgivable curse. Draco dropped to his knees and stared at the bodies of his parents. His face was ghostly pale and his eyes were dim.

"Severus, come forward." A shadow detached itself from the walls and walked forward to kneel in front of his master. A hideous white mask, same as the one on Draco's side, covered his face. Harry knew it was his hated ex-professor. The man who killed Dumbledore. He let out a roar and attempted to attack the man, even though he knew he couldn't. 'He killed Dumbledore the…' he let out another roar. Then the feeling of confusion washed over him. Voldemort felt his anger! He cursed and quashed his emotions. How could he have lost control!

Voldemort turned back to the man in front of him, pushing aside the odd emotion. "Severus, take Draco down to the dungeons and let Bella have some…fun…with him. Make sure she keeps him alive. On the fourth day release him in Diagon Alley. I'm sure the ministry would be thrilled to see him." Another satanic grin spread across his features and he began to laugh maniacally. Harry scar seared with pain.

Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, woke up screaming, back in his room at Number 4 Privet Drive.