Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to those with far great intelligence and attention spans then I. Harry Potter and all related material belongs to JK Rowling and Warner Brothers, etc. Only the original ideas or plot belong to me, and they're so enormously lackluster I'd probably be forced to pay someone to steal them.
Author's Note: I've been aching to write something for Harry's Sixth Year for ages now, and finally I've got the time to do it! This chapter is the prologue, just some background explanation for what will happen in the real First Chapter, which I'll try to post sometime tonight or early tomorrow. Anyway, I've got the story mapped out to keep me from rambling on in different directions, but I'm sure your ideas are mucho better then mine, so Review if you want to suggest something or whatnot. Or just flame the story like a box of matches, whatever floats your goat :D.
Harry Potter and the Flight From Death
Prologue
A full moon winked down at a small and unobtrusive cottage in the equally small and unobtrusive village of Godric's Hollow. The area was quaint, equally inhabited by both Wizards and Muggles, (although, the muggles might have been rather surprised to learn that anyone of a magical persuasion was resident in such a seemingly unimportant part of the country) both of whom seemed more then willing to except the oftentimes unnatural lifestyles of their neighbors.
Tonight was a marked night indeed on the calendars of the villagers, for tonight was Halloween. The Wizards in residence were particularly fond of this night, and often chose to celebrate it with a display of shooting stars, or else charming normal objects - trees, for example - to glow cheerfully whenever a person walked by. Such abnormalities were welcomed by the muggles, however, who were far too used to such unexplainable happenings to spend any amount of time questioning it.
Perhaps it was this that kept both Wizards and Muggles from questioning when one of the cottages in the village had simply disappeared several months ago. There was no lingering smell of smoke to suggest a fire, nor had any construction vehicles been sighted. The cottage had simply ceased to exist, leaving no evidence that any person had ever lived there at all.
Yet someone did live in Number Nine Godric's Hollow. Three persons total inhabited the cozy, two landing home. The Potters had moved in almost immediately after the old owners had moved out, taking full advantage of the abandoned house to begin a life of secrecy - for with all the measure and precautions that had been taken, they had full confidence that nothing and no one would ever find them here.
It was a remotely lonely life, the Potter's. There were never any visitors, for the simple reason that no one - save one person - knew of their whereabouts, and they were unwilling to let word of it reach even some of their closest companions.
"Someone amongst you cannot be trusted," Albus Dumbledore had said wearily, "One of your friends has betrayed the Order, has betrayed all of us -"
"I have known them for nearly nine years Albus! They're my family for Merlin's sake! They wouldn't betray any of us! Not one!" James Potter had risen to his feet, hotly denying the words he had been afraid to hear since he had first suspected.
"You cannot risk this, James. You, Lily, and Harry must go into hiding. He is looking for you even as we speak, and he will not rest until you are found," the Headmaster had completely disregarded James' red-faced agitation, and continued tiredly, "You know of the Fidelius Charm, I am certain?"
"Of course," James answered coolly, "Lily only spent the entire ruddy week researching it after you put that idea into her head -"
James sounded as though he could have vented a bit of frustration over this subject as well, however Dumbledore quickly continued.
"And I am certain she is more then capable of performing it. You will need to find a possible place of residence immediately and procure a Secret Keeper," And Dumbledore looked over his half-moon spectacles to leer down at James with a sternness that was nevertheless shadowed with regret, "As well as you know your friends, Voldemort is able to manipulate even the best of us with fear." He said softly.
"Sirius. Sirius will be our Secret Keeper." James had growled, daring the older man to suggest that his closest friend was capable of….
"James, you must think of your wife and son! There is a traitor amongst you, and Voldemort will go to any lengths to turn those you care about against you. I would be more then willing to be the Secret Keeper for your family -"
"Sirius Black would never betray me. He would never serve Voldemort. Sirius will do it. I'll ask him tonight."
And so he had.
James Potter gazed out the window of the wooden cottage, listening to the faint giggling coming from a room upstairs, which announced that his son was awake. Yet for once, he did not romp up to the landing and engage Harry in a silly activity, or talk to him about the old days while the toddler grinned up at him as though he understood.
No, James simply stared up at the full moon, hazel eyes darkened with thought. Remus Lupin would be alone tonight. Alone to suffer through the bone-wracking transformations he underwent every month. When they had been younger, James had secretly wondered over Remus' acceptance of his curse, the werewolf never complained. Never once had James heard the words, "Why Me?" escape Remus' mouth. If it had been him, James had once mused, he probably would have cracked under the pressure. But Remus never had.
For this reason, he often questioned Sirius' certainty that it was Remus who had turned to Voldemort, who was leaking information from the Order to the dark side. The calm and reasonable book worm Marauder turn against his friends? Moony, who always managed to temper James' and Sirius' hot headed personalities, who had talked their way out of more then one detention? It was for Remus that the Marauders had risked everything, and Remus had always been enormously grateful.
Yet Sirius had been certain, just as he had been certain that it was Peter who should be the Secret Keeper. Peter, as Sirius had said, was far too weak to be of interest to Voldemort. No one would suspect that little Peter had been chosen. Voldemort would send for Sirius, would use the Imperious to force Sirius to lead him to the Potters. Yet Sirius would not be able to, Voldemort would be unable to force Sirius into leading him to his best friend. Sirius would not know where James was. And Remus would never know about the change. No one would know.
It was perfect.
And James knew that he should be angry, knew that he should feel fury at Remus for joining the Dark Lord. But James could not. All that he felt whenever Remus was mentioned, was a horrible, gut-wrenching pang of regret. Regret for not being there for his friend, for making Remus feel desperate enough to turn over. Regret for every sarcastic remark he had ever made against his friend. And regret for not being there for him tonight.
A hand on James' shoulder interrupted his brooding. Instinctively he wheeled around, hazel eyes sharp and ready to face - Lily. He sighed in a mixture of relief and exasperation at his own anxiety.
"Remus will be fine on his own, James." She said softly.
"I - I wasn't thinking about Remus. I don't care about -" James was a terrible liar. His throat tightened and he found that he could not say it. He could not say that he didn't care about Moony.
But Lily simply smiled sadly, gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and left him to his thoughts.
Outside, a tall, hooded figure watched with smug satisfaction. Tonight, he would ensure that nothing, no one, would ever bring his death.
Right. A bit short, sorry 'bout that, didn't want to make it too long as it's only just a reminder of the background. The next chapter will explain the need for this, I promise! There is method to my madness! Yee Haw.
I'll go finish the first chapter and post it up shortly, let me know what you thought of the Prologue anyway! Mucho Thanks. :D