Marked With Love

Disclaimer: I, obviously, am simply a fan. I write for the enjoyment of myself and other Harry Potter fans. I don't own Harry Potter, or any characters you recognize. I am simply utilizing the tools that JK Rowling provided the world.

Author's Note: From now on, my author's notes will be at the bottoms of chapters, but I wanted to begin this story with a big THANK YOU FOR READING! I haven't written for the wonderful world of Harry Potter in quite some time, so it is truly exciting for me to be back. I was actually just having a marathon of the movies with my family today, and that's what inspired me to write this. We were watching Sorcerer's Stone, and at the end - when Harry is in the Hospital Wing - I thought...shouldn't they be rewarding him somehow? I mean, the boy did just save the school from Voldemort! So that's where this came in. Now, I have written & read almost every story on this site that features the return of one or both of Harry's parents, and I would just like to let you know in advance that I hope to make this different. I hope to make this unique. It's not going to be anything unbelievable that brought them back, and I promise I'll try to avoid cheesy storylines. I enjoy a nice, well-written, believable story as much as the next fan, so I hope to make my readers happy :) Now, this universe will be a mix of both the books and the movies. I think that's everything! There will be one or two small things that aren't cannon, and for that I apologize, but the story wouldn't work without them :) Reviews are more than appreciated, and reviewer responses will be after my author's notes. I'm always looking for ways to improve, so please feel free to comment! And with that out of the way, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...the prologue!

PS: This takes place towards the end of Chapter 17 in the first book.

Prologue - A Sympathetic Agreement

"...You know, the Stone was not really such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack for choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

Harry prepared himself to bombard his Headmaster with questions, for he had many of them, but he never got the chance. Dumbledore chose that moment to meet Harry's eyes again, and a small smile lit up his face. He did not look like a withering, elderly wizard any longer - he looked like a happy child who was about to give his parents a fantastic gift. Harry's attention never drifted while Dumbledore spoke.

"You did a very brave thing, dear boy." he said. "A very brave thing, indeed. Were it not for you, we can only guess the travesties that would have befallen our school had Voldemort gotten the Stone..." Dumbledore trailed off, shaking his head at the thoughts that seemed to plague his mind. He shook such sadness and fear from his mind almost immediately, keeping his tone light. "But thankfully, he did not. You know, before we set off to destroy the Stone, I had a conversation with my dear friend Nicolas."

Harry nodded, and wrinkled his brow in confusion. "Yes, sir, you said that."

Dumbledore seemed not to hear Harry, and continued his speech with mirth twinkling in his gaze. "I told him all about you of course, Harry. I told him of your courage and of your sacrifice. He admires you very much, indeed. He even said to me that, time permitting, he would like to meet you before...well, before he has to leave."

Harry's heart swelled, and he felt very proud of himself. "That's very kind of him, sir."

"But," said Dumbledore. "He does not have long left, you see, and he wanted to make his appreciation known to you. He asked me to give you this - " Dumbledore removed from his robes a letter, which was addressed to Harry. Harry took it with eagerness, and was beginning to tear at it when his Headmaster said, "- to be opened later." Harry looked up a little guiltily, and put the letter next to him on his bed. Dumbledore gave him an eye-crinkling grin.

"Will you tell him thank-you for me?" asked Harry.

"Of course, my boy." replied Dumbledore. "However, you'll find that a simple letter is not all that you will be rewarded with for your incredibly generous services to this school."

That's one way of putting it, I suppose, thought Harry coolly. "But what else would he want to give me, sir?"

"The Sorcerer's Stone is a very interesting piece of magic..." mused Dumbledore cryptically, his eyes trailing to something in the distance. "It, as you surely know, can transform any metal into pure gold. Do you know what else it can do, Harry?"

"It creates the Elixir of Life, sir." said Harry, feeling rather like he was in class. What did this have to do with anything? Did Flamel want to give Harry immortality?

"Ah, precisely!" said Dumbledore excitedly. "Precisely! And that Elixir of Life has extraordinary powers. Powers you could not possibly believe. You see, Harry, the Stone can do more than just grant its owners immortality. It can also grant life - that was the original definition of immortality in the first place, you know. Granting life..."

"Excuse me, sir," interrupted Harry. "But what does this have to do with me?"

"It doesn't really, I suppose," amended Dumbledore. "It has far more to do with your parents."

This took Harry aback. His eyes widened considerably, and his heart began to beat faster and faster. He tried to sound steady when he said, "My parents, Professor?"

"Yes, Harry," smiled Dumbledore. "Your parents."

Just then, the door of the hospital wing was opened by Madame Pomfrey, the loveably strict nurse. Her eyes looked somewhat glossy as she gazed at Harry. Then, two silhouettes began to move from the shadows of the open doorway. Harry focused on them, trying to see their faces. They moved forward slowly, almost lethargically, and it wasn't until Harry matched them with the reflections he'd seen in the Mirror of Erised that he knew who they were.

Author's Note: I feel that that should do for a Prologue ;) I hope you all liked it, and leave me your thoughts in a review! It would mean so much to me to hear from you :) Thank you for reading!