Story Title: Harry Potter and the Stone of Dreams
Chapter Title: Introduction
Author: Bansera
Beta: Myself
Disclaimer: I own nothing. JKR owns pretty much anything that you recognise. Trust me, there's no point in suing. The legal fees would be way more than you'd receive.
A/N: This was my first story, or was, before I shelved it back in the summer of 2008. I've decided to rewrite it (kind of ironic, a rewrite of a rewrite) for accuracy's sake, and because there's a lot that I feel I could improve. After this introductory chapter I had three completed chapters posted, plus the fourth chapter is already partway written, which takes you to the first week of term. Please let me know what you think. Let me know if you spot any problems, or don't understand things, I'll try to clarify!
And with that out of the way... On with the show!
Introduction
Albus Dumbledore woke with a start. For a moment he was confused as to what had woken him. Then, with a gasp, he threw out his hand, catching a strange, spindly object that was vibrating incessantly on the bedside table. He dropped it again just as quickly. It was red hot.
"Oh, no." He whispered, blue eyes wide. "Oh, Merlin. No, no, no."
With an agility unexpected in someone of his age, he jumped to his feet and hurried towards the fireplace, careful not to fall over the hem of his nightgown. He muttered indistinguishably, and flames sprang up in the hearth. He threw a handful of glittery, silvery powder in to the fire and called out urgently.
"Hagrid!"
Hagrid had always thought Godric's Hollow to be a beautiful village. A peaceful place, save the occasional rumoured hauntings of the graveyard. But tonight... An unnatural silence hung in the air. The waxing moon seemed to be hiding, afraid to see what had been done. Dust swirled up from around Hagrid's feet, stinging his eyes and making it difficult to breathe. He gently, carefully, manouvered the child in his arms towards his chest, sheltering the precious cargo from the worst of the dust. The poor boy had been through enough this night. With a shudder, Hagrid steeled his mind, determinedly thinking of anything but the destruction he'd witnessed inside the Potter's house.
A revving filled the air. Hagrid looked up, one hand shielding his eyes. A familiar motorbike came into view, flying somewhat recklessly. The rider obviously spotted Hagrid, and landed in front of him.
"Black." Hagrid said, looking at the rider with distrust in his eyes. "Wha' the ruddy hell are yeh doing here, Sirius?"
"I could ask you the same." The smaller man's eyes flickered towards the house. "I told them I would... check on them. Are they..?"
"Dead." Hagrid nodded. Then, more gently, "I'm sorry."
Sirius' face crumpled, and for a moment Hagrid thought he was going to cry. Then Harry moved, sighing in his sleep. Sirius reached forward to the boy almost without thinking, but Hagrid turned away.
"What..? Hagrid, please." He begged, "He's my godson. He's all I have left of Lily, and Pr-James." He twisted his hands, watching the baby intently, desperate to hold him.
Hagrid looked down at Sirius sadly. "I'm sorry, really I am. Yeh couldn't find nicer people anywhere.' Hagrid said slowly, bringing the younger man back to the present. "But Dumbledore sent me to fetch young 'Arry. I 'ave to take 'im to his fam'ly. His blood relatives." He added when Black looked to be interrupting. "It's fer the best."
Sirius looked up at Hagrid, panic clouding his smoky grey eyes. "Please Hagrid. I'm begging you! That boy is all I have left of them, I need… I know I can keep him safe, Remmy and Peter can –" Sirius stopped, realisation dawning on his face. Traitorous rat! And I convinced them! Prongs, Lily. Moony forgive me. Hagrid, oblivious to the smaller man's thoughts assumed that Sirius was merely overtaken by grief.
"Sorry. Dumbledore's orders."
Sirius' started, confused, and then realised what Hagrid was saying. His shoulders sagged slightly and he stared at his shoes for a second, kicking up clouds of dust. "Take my bike then, you'll get there quicker."
"Wha'!" asked Hagrid, dumbfounded. "But… but yeh love that bike, why'd yeh give it t' me?"
"Like I said, it'll get you there quicker," Sirius replied, looking him straight in the eye. "Make sure he's safe…" he sighed. "I'll be getting back to Remus then, he needs to know... You can keep the bike. It's not like I'll need it." Harry will be safe with his family. And once I get hold of Pettigrew… Well, I won't need my bike where they'll send me. I'm sorry Moony, so sorry.
Within minutes Hagrid was sat astride the motorbike with Harry snuffling in his lap. Sirius watched as the night gradually swallowed them, and then turned away. As he walked into the village square, lights were coming on in the houses nearby. He kept walking, as muggles cam from their houses, gradually at first, then more and more. Their voices were a cloud of shock assaulting his ears. He turned a corner and, as the sound of sirens broke the air, apparated away.
"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." What has the Wizarding World come to? Celebrating this death, this destruction. Oh, Merlin.
"Yeah," said Hagrid, "I'd best get this bike away. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir."
Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself on to the motorbike and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.
"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," Said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.
Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Deluminator. He clicked it once and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that privet drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step at number four.
"Good luck Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak apparated to the edge of a steely black lake.
"Ah, Dumbledore," A silky voice called through the darkness. "You've arrived; we'd almost given up hope. I trust everything went well?" The words had a slightly threatening edge to them.
Dumbledore turned to see two men walking towards him. Both tall, thin and elegant with pale skin. The man who had spoken had a waterfall of white-gold hair that cascaded down to the small of his back. The other had shoulder-length black hair, so dark it appeared to sap the light nearby. In comparison to the lightless hair of his companion the hair of the man who spoke shone like silver moonlight on a unicorn's back, a startling contrast.
"Lucius," Dumbledore replied before nodding at the blonde's companion, "Severus. I do apologise, Hagrid was running late. Harry is, at present on the, er – doorstep of his last remaining blood relatives."
"Why do I get the feeling he is no longer happy with this arrangement?" Severus groaned tiredly to Lucius, before turning on Dumbledore. "The arrangement that you made, despite protests! All the arguments, all the discussions, all... What was the point of all that, today? What was the point if you're just going to -"
Dumbledore held up a calming hand. "Severus, we have been through this again and again, Harry living with the Dursleys will seal his mother's spell. It is a blood spell, only one who shares his blood will be safe for him to live with. I know who you would rather Harry lived with –" Dumbledore twinkled annoyingly. "– but then the spell would be incomplete, and Harry would not be as safe as he could be. Not to mention the fuss James' friends would make if they found out – no matter Lily's opinions." Dumbledore sighed deeply. "Alas, after talking to Minerva about the goings-on at the Dursley household I fear that Harry may not have the upbringing I had hoped. That is to say, the arrangements will make him safe from the Death Eaters but I worry that perhaps he shall be… er… less than happy due to the actions of those he lives with."
Lucius gently placed a calming hand on Severus' arm before the man did anything reckless. "You think that maybe the boy will be… harmed by his family." Lucius asked Dumbledore, the word family dripping icily of his tongue as if it disgusted him. Which, in some ways, it did. He had not had the best experiences with family. 'Call yourself my son? You're no son of mine, you're filth. You should thank me for trying to force it out.' "And yet you still want him to stay there?"
"I know what you would say, Lucius," Dumbledore said, "But it is the safest place for him."
Severus snorted, although there was no humour in it. "I never thought I'd be in agreement with Minerva, I can tell from your voice that she wasn't exactly happy with the arrangement. Tell me Albus, have you become so blinded by your belief of the good in everyone that you disregard the advice of your finest pets?"
Dumbledore gazed calmly at the dark haired man, causing Severus to start muttering under his breath about manipulative old fools, but the old man chose to ignore him and instead continued with his speech. "However, I shall not be leaving him unguarded. I have set many wards to ensure that I am alerted should Harry come to … an unusual amount of, err… discomfort. Suffice to say he will not be killed, or in any way disabled – "
"But may suffer enslavement, serious mental degradation, beatings, rape even?" Snape yelled angrily 'Daddy broke my soul, Mummy, but don't worry, it's not broken as much as yours. I wish you'd magic him away Mummy, why won't you magic him away?', "Your wards would not count that as an unusual amount of discomfort, after all it happens in many pureblood households, even muggle households. Is it a case of Iactura paucourm serva multos? I would not have thought you would be willing to risk the boy so early on."
Dumbledore flinched slightly at what Severus implied – sacrifice the few to save the many – but was otherwise unmoved by the irate man spitting in his face. "Harry will remain with his aunt. You are welcome to watch over him as you see fit, but he will not be sent to live elsewhere"
The three stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, each contemplating their own thoughts. The slither of moon shone overhead, brilliantly white against the cold, black sky.
"Severus," Lucius murmured, addressing the still seething man. "We will not let the boy be harmed. I shall watch the house as often as I can, as well as set up a rotation of house-elves to watch over him. I presumethe house will have been warded so that anyone marked with the Dark Mark will be unable to enter," He glanced at Dumbledore who inclined his head in the affirmative. "Which means if anything does happen neither you nor I would be able to enter the premises to help him. However, it may be possible that I will be able to sneak a house-elf inside without alerting the Muggles or the boy. We will not let them get away with anything, anything that they may decide that they can do."
Severus' shoulders sagged and he nodded slowly in reluctant acceptance.
"Good," said Lucius. "Now, with that unfortunate business out of the way, I should be returning to Draco and Narcissa. Which reminds me," he turned and faced Dumbledore, "he will be in the same year as Harry… when they start Hogwarts, I'm sure he will be willing to offer some form of friendship."
"An excellent idea -" Dumbledore began, only to be interrupted by Lucius.
"And I'm sure Narcissa will be more than willing to help too, she knows only too well the downsides of living a life where one is unwanted…" Lucius stared angrily into the distance, then shook his head as though to clear it before turning back to his companions. "Yes, well. As I said, I must be heading home now. Severus, I trust you will come to visit your godson soon?" 'Godfather? You want me to be Godfather, are you sure that's wise after… ' 'I felt the same when 'Cissa told me she was expecting, she said "Your parents don't make you who you are, only you can do that", the same applies to you Severus.' "And when you do I'm sure you will inform me of any further arrangements that may need to be bought to my attention."
Severus nodded again. "Give my regards to Narcissa, and say 'hello' to young Draco for me." Lucius merely smiled his acknowledgement distractedly, before nodding in Dumbledore's direction and elegantly apparating away.
"I'll see you back at school, Professor." Severus said to the headmaster without looking at him, not quite managing to keep the sneer out of his voice.
"Goodbye Severus, my dear boy." Dumbledore murmured, as he too apparated away, leaving the old man alone by the icy black lake.
Petunia dried her hands on a tea-towel and glanced at the clock. It was nine o' clock. Vernon had the day off and was upstairs, bathing Dudley. She smiled, listening to the sounds of her son's giggles. Hanging the tea-towel back on its hook, she made her down the corridor to collect the milk from outside. She opened the door, and almost trod on a bundle of blankets on the doorstep, with a letter resting on top.
Forehead crinkling in confusion, Petunia bent down to look at the parcel. Suddenly, it moved, and a tiny hand appeared. She let out an ear-splitting scream, grabbing the doorframe to hold herself up.
"Petunia?" Vernon called downstairs, sounding worried. "Petunia, are you alright?"
She didn't reply. Instead, she glanced around furtively in case anyone outside was watching, and quickly snatched up the now crying baby. Slamming the door behind her she hurried into the house.
"Vernon... I think... Get Dudley out of the bath. I need you to come here."
By the time Vernon came downstairs, having returned a protesting Dudley to his cot for the time being, Petunia was sat on the sofa, face white, with the opened letter clutched in her hand.
"Petunia?" Vernon spoke to her softly. "What's going on?" Harry moved in his blankets, making Vernon notice him for the first time. "What... what is that?"
Petunia looked at him, and opened her mouth to speak, before thinking better of it. She didn't know how to articulate the words. Instead, she handed him the letter. As much as she wished it wasn't the case, their lives had been changed forever.
Lucius was outside number four privet drive doing something a Malfoy should never do. Pacing. He had stood, cloaked, at the zoo, following Harry everywhere he went, and yet he still didn't understand what had happened. Disappearing glass! Lucius paused, stared at the house, shook his head and continued to pace.
"Lucius, my dear boy," Dumbledore's voice cut through Lucius's thoughts, sounding grave. "I am glad – at least – that you have not tried to enter the residence. The mark on your arm would have alerted aurors and you're not much use to us in Azkaban."
Lucius frowned slightly and muttered in French "Incroyable!" – Dumbledore's tendency to state the obvious was rather tedious – and stared again at the house, wondering how Harry was. Wishing he could get inside…
"What happened today?" Dumbledore asked quietly, watching Lucius evenly.
Lucius spun on his heel to face the old man, his robe billowing around himself. "What happened?" He repeated, somewhat angrily. "How should I know? I was only watching him, not being the foolish boy." Dumbledore continued to stare at Lucius, unperturbed. Lucius sighed.
"We were in the reptile house. Harry was looking at a Boa Constrictor. I looked away for a split second, just to make sure everything was safe, and then I heard Harry's cousin's friend yell something about the snake. When I looked back the snake was sort of… standing, watching Harry. His cousin pushed him out of the way and…" Lucius crinkled his brow, confused. "The glass, it just… disappeared! It must have been Harry that did it, there was no-one else magical in there, myself excluded, and I certainly didn't do it… but how can he have that power?"
"Hmm… it is possible…" Dumbledore muttered contemplatively to himself, then he turned and looked at Lucius again. "What happened when they got back here?"
Lucius bristled yet again. "They took the friend home, and then they came back here. I watched Harry's uncle shove him through the door! There were raised voices but because of the wards' he looked irritably at Dumbledore. "I was unable to make out what was said. It has been quiet since then. We cannot continue to let them treat him like this Albus!"
"I concur, you are absolutely right." Dumbledore said in a soothing manner. "From previous happenings I believe that Harry will merely be sent to his cupb– ah, room. I shall personally keep watch over him until he starts Hogwarts in September…" Dumbledore twinkled slightly. "I have a feeling that Harry's life will become very interesting and more… bearable when the owl arrives."
Lucius shook his head; not even pretending to understand.
A/N: Word count for this chapter – 2820
Next:
Chapter One: The Directional Day