What if Harry never got his Hogwarts letter?
They heard the click of the letter-box and flop of letters on the doormat.
"Get the post, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.
"Make Harry get it."
"Get the post, Harry."
"Make Dudley get it."
"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."
Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the post. Three things lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was vacationing on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and a white letter addressed to Aunt Petunia.
He picked up the letters and slouched back into the Kitchen, dropped them on the table and returned to his seat.
What if Lily chose Snape over James?
"You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus -"
"Stop calling him that!" roared Lily, bursting with rage.
"What're you going to do about it Evans?" sneered James, while Sirius sniggered behind him.
At this Lily pointed her wand at James' face and said coldly, "I'll jinx you if you don't leave him alone. Now."
"Fine then, lets go Padfoot," sighed James turning to go. "Oi! Moony! Come on!"
"Okay, one sec," said Lupin, placing a piece of parchment in his book, and closing it. He got up, joined his friends and they left. James and Sirius looking thoroughly disgruntled about the lack of entertainment and Pettigrew looking relieved.
"You can all clear off too!" Lily said loudly to the crowd. They all scattered, muttering, and carried on enjoying the end of exams.
"Thanks, Lily"
"S'okay Sev, are you alright?" she said, brushing grass off his robes.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Snape said, Smiling.
Lily smiled back and looked into Snape's eyes. Then suddenly, she moved forward and gave him a quick kiss. For a second Snape looked extremely shocked, then he bent down, and pressed his lips against Lily's.
By the beech tree shouts of anger and annoyance could be heard from James.
What if the prophecy was never over heard?
"... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
Dumbledore turned around slowly and stared at Trelawney. She seemed to have come out of her trance and had returned to normal.
"Am I to believe, that you do not wish for me to teach?" she said, looking at Dumbledore, standing there with a shocked expression. She had a sad look in her eyes.
"On the contrary, my dear, I would be delighted to assign you the post of Divination teacher!"
"Oh thank you, Professor! When would you like me to start?"
"Whenever you are ready, now if you don't mind I must leave now. As I have some important business to attend to," with that he bowed and left the room. When he was back inside his office at Hogwarts, Dumbledore wrote to the Minister of Magic and told him of the prophecy.
Back in Hogsmade, Sybill left the Hogs Head and walked away, with a slight skip in her step. In her happiness she hardly noticed a young man, with greasy black hair, rush past her towards the Hogs Head and almost knock her over.
What if Snape didn't love Lily?
"You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus -"
"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" Snape spat.
"Don't you dare call me that!" Shouted Lily, pointing her wand dangerously at Snape.
"Apologise to her!" James roared at Snape, also pointing his wand threateningly at him.
"Get out of it, Potter. Why don't you go play with a werewolf. At least that'll get you off my back."
At this comment Lupin stiffened and looked up from his book. He was listening closely. Yet no one seemed to notice him.
"Shut it, Snivellus! Go jump in the Lake! I'm sure the Giant squid could use a snack. But be sure to wash your hair first, or it'll just spit you right out again!"
"One more comment like that, and you'll be sorry." said Snape in fierce tones.
"Oh! Little Snivelly is getting all angry! Better run now Prongs before he wipes his hair all over you!" Interjected Sirius.
"I swear! You're asking for it!" Snape said, getting angrier every second.
"Go on then! I dare ya!"
"Fine!" He raised his wand and pointed it at James "Sectumsem-"
"Whats going on here?" Squeaked a little voice behind them. It was Flitwick.
"Snape is trying to curse us!" Lily said quickly.
"Well, then! Mr. Snape, follow me please. As for the rest of you. Shoo!"
What if Wormtail never told Voldemort Lily and James Potter's secret?
"Where are they Wormtail?" The Dark Lord said angrily, "I know you are their secret keeper! Where are they!" He circled the man who was rolled up in a ball, on the dusty floor.
"Crucio!"
The screams of Wormtail were high pitched and loud.
"I - don't - k-know!" Pettigrew squeaked, gasping for breath as he recovered from the torture. "I swear!"
"LIAR! You know where they are! If you will not tell me, I will have to kill you!"
"P-P-Please, I am - telling t-the tru-"
"Crucio!"
The Dark Lord saw that all hope was lost as he lifted the curse, and Wormtail did not speak again. It was clear that he had finally lost his mind.
"A shame Wormtail... You could have been useful. However, I cannot afford to worry over your life. Goodbye."
He pointed his wand once more at the man on the floor, and without a look of regret or sorrow, finally whispered;
"Avada Kedavra!"
Wormtail was no more. Yet in his last few minutes, even as he was tortured, he never gave the whereabouts of Lily and James Potter.
What if Tom Riddle Sr. fell in love with Merope Gaunt?
Merope gazed out of her window and at the young man and woman on horses. The man looked up and saw Merope. He stopped his horse and told his fiance to carry on, he would catch up.
Tom Riddle slid of his horse and landed gracefully on his feet. Still looking at Merope he raised his hand and swept it toward himself, as if he were saying 'come here'. Merope did just that, she snuck out her house and ran to meet Tom.
"Can I help you, sir?" she said, in polite tones.
"Yes you can dear lady. Will you accompany me on a walk?" He asked, gesturing towards his horse.
"If you wish!" Merope replied, smiling.
He helped her onto the horse then got on in front of her. The trotted down the road and all along the way Tom was asking Merope about herself. they stopped outside an inn and went inside.
"I love you." Tom said, closing the door of the empty room they had just entered. Before Merope could reply, he seized her around the waist and kissed her. She had been dreaming of this moment ever since the first time he had ridden past her window.
What if Pettigrew had been captured?
Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand, he lifted it, but before he could point it at anyone, there were three cries of "Expelliarmus!" One from Harry, one from Ron and one from Hermione. Like when they had all tried to disarm Snape, Pettigrew flew backwards and hit the floor with a loud thump.
Harry approached him slowly, wand raised, he reached Pettigrew's side and seeing he was knocked out, called to Hermione and Ron;
"We've knocked him out! but I don't know how long he'll stay that way... Hermione do you know a spell to tie him up?"
"I think so, one second..." She conjured ropes around Pettigrew and smiled, apparently pleased with her work. Now that he was tied up, Harry asked Hermione to run up to the castle and get Dumbledore.
"... Tell him its urgent! Go!" Hermione ran up to the castle while Harry stayed with Ron, Pettigrew and Snape. A few minutes later Dumbledore could be seen striding towards them, Hermione running in is wake. Harry stood up to greet them, But as he did he heard the whine of a dog in pain.
"SIRIUS!" Harry bellowed, and ran towards the sound, he didn't care about what was going on behind him, he only wanted to help his newly found Godfather.
What if Ginny had died in the Chamber of Secrets?
Slowly, he gathered together his wand and the sorting hat, and, with a huge tug, retrieved the glittering sword from the roof of the Basilisk's mouth.
Harry looked to the end of the chamber and saw Ginny, still lying there, completely motionless. He ran to her side and grabbed her shoulders.
"Ginny!" he shouted, shaking her roughly. "Please wake up! Please!"
But she did not move. Harry stared at her calm face and a tear unwillingly rolled down his cheek. He reached out and lifted her wrist, holding it in one hand he used the other to check for a pulse, but he couldn't find one.
It's because you don't know how to find a pulse, he told himself, she's alright really, all you need to do is get her to Madam Pomphrey straight away.
He lifted her up and carried her to the chamber's entrance. as he was about to leave the room he almost dropped her.
"I can't carry her!" he shouted, the echo sounding loudly behind him. At this Fawkes swooped down and landed by her side.
"Fawkes! Can you get her to the hospital wing? Please!"
The phoenix nodded slightly and, with a flare of fire, disappeared, leaving Harry kneeling on the floor. He got up and ran to the tunnel in which Ron was waiting.
"Harry! Is that you? Wheres Ginny? What happened?"
"Ginny's up in the Hospital wing -"
"How - ?"
"I'll explain later, first we need to get back up to Myrtle's bathroom. Now."
"How are we going to get back? I can't climb that!"
With a sudden flash of light Fawkes appeared on Harry's shoulder, and hovered in front of him.
"Hold on to me and Lockhart, don't let go. OK?" Harry directed at Ron, who nodded slowly. Then, Harry grabbed Fawkes' tail and Ron grabbed Lockhart's arm and Harry's robes. With a sudden whoosh they were flying up the Tunnel and within seconds, had landed on the wet floor of the bathroom.
"Hospital Wing! Now!" said Harry and Ron in unison, grabbing Lockhart and pulling him forward.
They ran to the Wing and through the doors. The sight inside almost stopped Harry's heart.
Mr and Mrs weasley were kneeling on the floor, hugging each other, sobbing and crying.
They were next to a bed, on which lay the lifeless body of Ginevra Molly Weasley.
What if Scabbers had turned yellow?
"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow,
Turn this stupid, at rat yellow."
He waved his wand, but nothing happened.
"Told you it doesn't actually work... Oh we- Scabbers!"
Something had shot out of the tip of Ron's wand and hit the dozing rat with a small popping sound. A patch of yellow appeared on his grey, furry back.
"It worked? Cool!" exclaimed Ron, gleefully.
"It didn't work very well, did it?" said the bushy haired girl.
"It still worked though." said Harry, "Wait a second! look at that!"
The little patch of yellow seemed to expanding slowly over Scabbers' body. The rat, now fully awake, started nibbling at his back, where the patch had first appeared, as if it was itchy. Within a minute most of Scabbers was yellow, but there still two little oddly shaped patches on his side that were grey.
"What does that say?" asked the girl.
"What do you mean 'what does it say'? It doesnt say anything!" said Ron, staring at his newly yellowed rat. "It's just some blobs..."
"'PP'" Read Harry, looking at Scabbers, "It does say something Ron, look; 'PP'. What does that mean?"
"No Idea..."
"Well, seeing as you two don't have a clue what it means, I'm going to go look it up in my books, see if they say anything. Come on Neville we can look for your toad later."