Roles reversed
Prologue
"Y-you know I can't. I can't help you, Lucius", Cornelius Fudge sank deeper into his chair. Despite the secrecy of their meeting he was wary. Even talking with Malfoy could lead to investigation now, when Dumbledore started to take personal interest in the Ministry.
"Cornelius," the tall man shook his head with sad expression, "I'm only asking you to help me this once. Weasley's department sent their men to my house. Again. And this time they not only damaged my living room and frightened the House Elf. They were rude to Narcissa. Tried to scary her with stories about what'd happen to her and Draco when I'm gone to Azkaban... You must stop this madness!"
"Lucius, my friend," the Minister's voice was sad but firm, "I really can't. My hands are tied. Dumbledore and his people in the Ministry are keeping the close eye on me. He has not only power but public opinion on his side. I'm only the Minister now because he lets me be. You must remain strong and try to not cause suspicion. I'll bring the issue about Arthur's employees' behavior, but that's all I can do."
The long-haired man rose with natural grace and headed to the door. He turned his head last time and gazed heavily into Fudge's eyes. "Thank you for trying then, old friend" and he left.
The Minister just sat here in silence, thinking about wizarding world and how it became such a dangerous place. Last remains of hope were lost with Voldemort's demise. His birth name was forbidden now, so people referred to him by his alias, given to him by some friend. There was time, when his name meant hope - hope to overcome all the death and misery in the world. But the man got himself killed and that was the end of it.
Sighing Cornelius got back to work. Lucius never understood how difficult his position really was.
Lucius was getting angry. Youngest Weasley boy started to insult his son right here, in the bookstore. He and his gang mocked Draco and his friend Daphne, when she tried to defend him. He looked at the muggles, who were obviously Granger's parents. They were clearly amused by their daughter's friend behavior. Only red-haired girl, Weasley daughter, was quiet, shying away from the crowd.
And Lucius finally came to decision. As he initiated the fight with Arthur Weasley, he managed to throw the diary into young girl's cauldron. May be she would be different from the rest of them. With Tom's guidance she would be able to tell right from wrong. Something the Leader of Resistance taught Lucius himself. May be, just may be, there was hope still.
Severus looked at the Gryffindor table where little redhead was seated with the rest of her family. His thoughts unwillingly turned to another redhead, though her hair had a darker shade to them. Green-eyed and vicious little Lily Evans. Lily, who got him in all sorts of trouble even before Hogwarts. Lily, who went to Gryffindor and then laughed and slapped his back, and said that she would look out for him even if he was a Slytherin. Lily, who came up with devious plans, who dreamed about changing the world into something more pleasing for her, who always invented new ways of using magic. Lily, who called him weak and pathetic in the end of their fifth year, when he called her crazy bitch and they parted ways, and she married James Potter, the man she despised. And the same Lily who was offered to him as a payment for treachery by the old goat in his desperate attempt to keep his power.
And then they sat together on his bed at Spinner's End and talked, like at old times. And fools like Dumbledore and Potter himself thought he was using her body like he always wanted. But he knew even when there were things more important. And Lily told him all kinds of things, like what she thought Tom should be doing to win this war, or how much better would she do in his place. And the words he didn't understand back then: how wizarding world needs some really dark years so messiah could come and lead them to the light. Little did he know who her intended savior was. He hadn't pondered over that for long, because that night she finally gave him her body and there suddenly were things much more important than talking.
After she blew up her house killing not only Tom and Potter but herself as well he finally understood the real meaning of her words. So he stayed close to Dumbledore and waited. Last year was fruitless as his attempts to drive the boy in right direction came in conflict with him being the worst combination of his parents imaginable. And his friends. Granger was smart but too arrogant and prudish. Weasley was just as cocky and stupid as James Potter himself but without his charisma. Severus would try again of course, because thought of Lily's terrible death being in vain was unbearable.
A/N Added a little. Now I think prologue is complete. I think not all good guys will turn out bad and otherwise. And Harry will be Ginny's love interest. Tom is likely to be friend/mentor. Rated for some language and implied situations for now.