A New Life

Disclaimer: JKR owns everything related to the Potterverse. I own everything else.

Summary: October 31st, 1981 a 1 year old boy goes missing as the Dark Lord vanishes. Without knowing what really took place between the Potters and Voldemort on that fateful night, their story soon becomes more myth than fact. Ten years later an unusual boy celebrates his 11th birthday with the only family he's every known. As Harry's 1st year of school begins, his overprotective family will do whatever it takes to fight the darkness they sense brewing, even if it means putting their trust in people they never thought they would. SHIPS: HP/DM (friendship/eventual lovers), SS/RL, RW/HG (eventual), others.

A/N: Please be aware that this fic is an AU version of the books in which Harry has had a very different life growing up and therefore not going to be 100% canon, though I have kept some canon whereever it is needed. If this sort of fic is not your cuppa I apologise in advance, the back-button is at your disposal! :)

Chapter One: Darkness Falls

*Godric's Hollow 1981*

A man with dark hair and an equally dark expression stood at the entrance way of what once had been a quaint cottage. Now it had been reduced to a pile of debris and ashes, wisps of smoke still curled upwards from the smouldering ruins. As the man stood there sniffing the charred night air he sighed and kicked at some of the scattered masonry littering the ground.

'You stupid fools,' Severus Snape whispered into the stilled air. 'You were warned that he was after you, and yet you chose to die instead of fleeing as you should have. You put your faith in a killer; now look where it has got you!'

A whimpering sound off to the man's side alerted him that something wasn't right. He tensed and looked around, isolating the source of the noise. Swiftly he moved to where the sound was coming from, and looking down into the rubble he quietly gasped when he saw something had hadn't expected to find amongst all the death and destruction. As gently as he could he reached down and picked up the source of the soft whimpering.

'So you survived then?' Severus said, gazing down at the toddler in his arms. 'Well, well, what shall I do with you hmm?'

'Keep him.'

Turning around quickly the black eyed man eyed the person who'd spoken in surprise. Remus Lupin looked lost and haggard; his golden eyes a mixture of anger, regret, and sadness; his mid-length light brown hair already showing traces of grey. Though the man had only just turned twenty-two, but his gaunt frame and tired appearance made him seem much older than his age.

'Keep him? And how pray tell do you propose to do that? Have you gone daft, Remus?' Severus asked irritably and shook his head. 'I say we leave him, others will soon be here no doubt.'

'Do you want Sirius to find him? James and I were not the best of friends during the last two years, but I would never wish his son to die at the hands of a traitor. Peter's gone missing, and you know that Albus would only use the boy for some selfish purpose or other if he ever finds out what really happened here tonight. Don't you see, Severus, I'm the only one left. Please give him to me. I'll take care of him … I'll keep him safe,' Remus pleaded.

Severus scowled and looked down at the small child, debating what to do. 'How do you plan to do all of this exactly? You are not thinking logically about this!' he argued.

'I'm thinking perfectly logically! I'll raise him away from what happened here. That way no one can hurt him again,' Remus said resolutely.

'You must see how futile this is,' Severus said, though his voice wasn't very convincing.

'The child deserves to have a better life; I can at least try to give him that. As it is I've been "missing" for months now, I've even read some reports that say I'm already dead. Not that anyone even cares if I am alive or dead at this point,' Remus replied with a slight trace of bitterness.

'I care,' Severus replied.

Remus smiled. 'Yes, and for that I can never thank you enough. For all that you've done for me these last two years it will take me a hundred lifetimes to repay you,' Remus said then looked down at the boy Severus was holding. 'I can't make things up to James and Lily any longer, at least let me try to make amends by raising their son properly. Please, Severus?'

Severus considered the proposal carefully then sighed and looked down at child snuggled in his arms. 'All right, you win,' he said and gently gave boy to Remus. 'Where will you take him?'

'I'll take him to my flat. I know it's small, but then he's awfully small to begin with right now. He'll be no bother,' Remus said holding the toddler lovingly.

'No, I don't think you should stay there after tonight. You need find somewhere new to live, it will be too obvious to raise him at your flat. Too many questions may be raised by those who live there; as it is I know some are already suspicious of what you are,' Severus said.

Remus thought on that for a moment. 'You're right,' he nodded then a strange look came into his eyes. 'What about the Muggle world?'

'What about it?' Severus asked.

'Of course, it's perfect! I'll take him into the Muggle world!' Remus said excitedly.

'You haven't lived amongst Muggles in a very long time, Remus. You know nothing about what it is like out there,' Severus argued.

'Then I'll learn, it can't be that hard. Don't you see that this is the perfect solution? After all, who would expect me of all people to be hiding James and Lily's son amongst Muggles? I'll come up with a feasible story about how I got him, and I can forge up papers such as a new birth certificate and whatnot for everything to be official. I'm rather good at that sort of thing remember. This will work, Severus, I can feel it,' Remus said in conviction.

Severus grinned slightly. 'Very well, in for a Knut, in for a Galleon as they say eh?'

Remus chuckled. 'Why not? Hopefully I won't make too many mistakes until I get accustomed to things,' he said.

'That is all very well and good, but what will you do on the days in which you are … occupied? He's a small child and not capable of taking care of himself for an entire night as well as half the next morning. What will you do with him then?' Severus asked suddenly, mentally kicking himself for forgetting something so important.

Remus groaned in dismay. 'Oh … I … I hadn't thought of that,' he said miserably.

Severus looked at the child once more and seeing the look on Remus's face he sighed in defeat. 'Take him. Merlin knows what will happen to him if you don't. I will come and take care of him during that time, and whenever else you need help. You have my word on this.'

'Thank you, Severus,' Remus said quietly. Looking down at the precious life in his arms he smiled, a warm glow of contentment shining in his eyes. 'He already looks like James.'

'Yes, and that is something we will have to remedy as soon as possible,' Severus said, his eyes suddenly scanning the area. 'You need to go. Take the portkey back to the Alley and return to your flat. I will join you there shortly to make further arraignments.'

Remus nodded and quickly took a small box out of his pocket. Opening it up he pressed what was inside and disappeared, just in time too. Severus whispered a few words under his breath and faded away into the darkness, not a trace of him to be seen. His coal black eyes glittered dangerously as he watched another man arrive at the scene on a large yellow motorbike.

For a while Severus stood there, a blazing heated anger in his eyes as he gazed upon the man who was now poking around the rubble. When the man found the bodies of James and Lily he let out a howl of agony; tears cascaded down his cheeks, and he fell to his knees as if in pain. Severus was unsure what to make of what he was seeing. The look on the other man's face didn't appear to be the look of a man who'd betrayed his friends, let alone someone who had lost their Master.

A Master that Severus had also once bowed down, but through a miracle he had been brought back from the brink of his own selfish destructions. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he watched as the sobbing man gently held his once best friend's corpse in his arms, rocking him back and forth whilst muttering things under his breath. Severus silently drew up closer to catch what was being said, and after a few moments became astonished at what he was hearing.

'It's my fault! If only I'd known what that rat was up to you'd still be alive! Wormtail … how could you do this to us? Wasn't it enough that Moony left us for the darkness … you had to give in to him as well? We gave you everything … we took care of you, trusted you … and this is how you repay us? Peter Pettigrew I swear to Merlin you will regret this day!' the man cried out angrily.

'Pettigrew?' Severus gasped in surprise.

'Who's there?' the other man said twisting around quickly. Gently lowering the body of his friend to the ground he got up and took his wand out, pointing it into the darkness. 'Show yourself! Who are you?'

Severus waved his wand and muttered "Finite Incantatum" then stepped forwards from the shadows. 'What is this about Pettigrew?' he asked.

'Snape, I should have known,' the other man said with a deep loathing in his voice. 'Why should I tell you anything? I don't trust you farther than I can toss you. You've hated us since we were kids, so why are you even here?'

'Why I am here is none of your concern, Black. Now stop playing games and tell me the truth. Did you do this? Were you the one who betrayed them to the Dark Lord?' Severus repeated in a low, dangerous voice, his wand pointing directly at Sirius's heart.

'What? You … you really can't believe that I would have done this, do you? James was a brother to me in every sense of the word … I would never have betrayed him, I swear it!' Sirius said with clear sounding agony in his voice as he looked back at the body of his friend.

'Don't lie to me! You were the Potters' Secret Keeper, who else but you could have betrayed the Potters?' Severus spat out in disgust.

Sirius shook his head. 'That's just it, it wasn't me! We … Peter and I that is … we switched out only a day ago. We decided not to tell anyone, we thought it would be safer that way. It was the perfect ruse, no one would have thought someone like Peter would be the Potters' Secret Keeper, but oh Merlin, how wrong we were! I swear to you, Snape … on my soul … this was Peter's doing, he had to have gone to Voldemort; he's the one you want!' he said choking back heavy sobs.

Severus eyed Sirius warily for a moment then lowered his wand. 'For some unknown reason I believe you. I don't trust you, but I do believe that you had nothing to do with killing the Potters. The babe lives by the by,' he said quietly.

Sirius blinked and stared at Severus in shock. 'Harry … he's alive? Are you sure … how is it possible?' he asked incredulously.

Severus shook his head. 'I don't know how he survived, but he managed it somehow. He has a nasty wound, though I think he will be all right. Remus took him back to his flat for now.'

'Remus took him?' Sirius asked suspiciously. 'He abandoned our friendship in favour of other types of comforts, something you would know all about, now wouldn't you, Snape. He hasn't spoken to us in two years, so why would he want to help James's son now?'

'What is between Remus and I is no concern of yours,' Severus replied coolly. 'If you want to see the boy you will take that contraption of yours to where they are. I warn you to be careful, do not let anyone see you. Not if you value your life.'

'Fine, but if he hurts Harry he'll answer to me,' Sirius muttered. 'I don't trust either of you, despite the fact Remus was once my friend.'

'As it happens he trusts you even less right now. The address of Remus's flat is 504 Blight Lane, Knockturn Alley. His room is number 13; it's on the third floor at the back of the building. I trust you will be civil enough to talk to him before waving that idiotic wand of yours,' Severus said and gave Sirius a dark, foreboding gaze. 'And I warn you, Black, if you so much as touch a single hair on Remus's head in anger, or any other way, you will answer to me.'

Sirius glared at Severus then his shoulders slumped as he once more glanced at his friend's body. 'I know it may mean little coming from me but … cheers for saving Harry,' he said quietly.

Severus nodded then waved a hand in dismissal. 'Do not thank me yet; there is still a lot of work to be done. Now go, it will not be much longer before others will come to see what has taken place here,' he said, once more his eyes scanning the area.

'Wait a minute, they all think I was James and Lily's Secret Keeper, they'll blame me for this!' Sirius said in concern.

'We will deal with that when it is time. If you do not want to be caught as a traitor, I suggest you leave before -,' Severus said and cutting off his words he stiffened as his inner senses began to go off. 'Someone's coming … leave … now!' he hissed.

Sirius didn't need to be told twice. Without another word he quickly jumped back on his motorbike, flipped the invisibility and sound muffling switches, and flew away. Severus waved his wand and again faded into the night air as he observed the newcomer. He watched as the man surveyed the damage, all the while shaking his head and muttering things under his breath. When he saw the bodies of the Potters', the man broke down in tears, though after a few minutes he collected himself and again began poking around in the rubble as if he was looking for something.

'Wher' are yeh at, child? The 'Eadmaster said yeh should be 'ere,' the man said softly. 'Come on, 'Arry, where yeh at? I'm suppos' ta take yeh ta yer aunt an' uncle's 'ouse.' Ten minutes later the man sighed and gave up his search. He went over and gathered up the bodies of James and Lily then without another word he Disapparated back to wherever he had come from.

Severus stepped out of the shadows, a pensive look on his face. He took once last glance at the ruined cottage, a heavy feeling welling up inside his chest. So much had happened tonight, so many lives were changed, and all because of a single mad-man who had followed a cause that Severus no longer believed in. Going over to where the bodies had been he silently bade goodbye to the woman he had once been friends with; saddened that such a tragedy had to befall her in such a horrible manner. With a start he realised that if he was going to make sure that her child was safe he would need to return to Remus's flat rather quickly. If nothing else, he needed to make sure that the two men hadn't already killed each other on sight.