Chapter 2: Happy Birthday Indeed!

Harry Potter didn't care for he had just passed through what wizards call 'the Veil of Death'.

Goblins call it 'the Ancestors Door'.

The vampires refer to it as 'the Forbidden Paradise Door'.

All these names were wrong. For the creator of the arch named it the 'Door to Avalon'.

Darkness… Utter darkness, that's what Harry expected when he fell through the veil. And cold too. It happened he was right on both accounts but didn't know it.

As the blast of magic pushed him through the veil, Harry thought with sadness about his friends and parents who didn't have the chance to see this day. The pain in his hand brought him harshly back to reality and fear took a hold of him, except he didn't have time to feel it as his entire body froze against the coldness displayed by his passing through the veil.

It could have been the end of Harry Potter's life but ironically it was only its beginning.

..ooOoo..

The little boy didn't know what to do. Rage was coursing through his veins; fire was burning in his heart. It was his birthday! Why did it have to happen to him? He didn't ask for much, but would have liked to have his father by his side on this special day. Why does he have to work? He wondered while walking in the garden.

So lost in his thoughts he didn't see the woman hidden behind a bush. He knew something wasn't right when he was suddenly flying through the air toward the black-clothed witch. The wards were supposed to forbidden his escape not pull him toward them, so what was going on?

Sure enough, as the little boy was nearly in the arms of his assailant, a bright golden flash stopped him in mid-air and he felt to the floor. Bewildered he raised his head and stared in the charcoal eyes of the Death Eater. For he was one for sure, he had heard enough description of the white mask they used to wear when You-Know-Who was there.

"Hmm, Wormtail said he'd try to disable this function… No matter, I just need your blood little boy." She said, the beginning as if annoyed and the end in a sickly mocking voice of a baby. He wasn't a baby! He was six!

The boy got hastily to his feet and tried to run but found himself on the ground a second later.

"No, no, no. No trying to run from Aunt Bella, little half-blood." The newly-identified Bellatrix Lestrange said suavely. "Now, how to ensure you won't try to run? Ah, yes, I know. Crucio."

The little boy trashed on the grass as every single of his bone went on fire, his throat quickly becoming hoarse with his screams… Then it stopped, aches all over his body being the only testimony of the past curse.

"Now, little baby, you won't try to run away, are you?"

The child slowly shook his head.

"Good. Now blood. Diffindo. Diffindo. Diffindo. Diffindo."

Four times she said the word, four times pain stroke him, four times a deep gash opened on his body.

"Oops, how silly of me! I don't need your blood." She said with a sinister grin. "Only your death. Avada Kedavra"

The second the green light stole the life of his young body, the child saw another dark shadow appearing behind Bellatrix Lestrange.

..ooOoo..

Harry knew he was done for it. He knew in which room they were, knew what was behind him when he was propelled against the wall. Resigning himself he thought of his parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron and all the others that wouldn't live to see the day of the deaths of Voldemort and Harry Potter.

He expected the cold kiss of Death on his lips every moment now. Then he found himself on a lawn. Disoriented he looked on his sides and behind him, there was nothing but trees. In front of him however…

"-r death. Avada Kedavra"

He knew this voice. Bellatrix Lestrange. His lips curled in a sadistic grimace. Holstering his wand he withdrew the dagger he kept in the holster of his left forearm.

"Hey Bitch!"

Bellatrix Lestrange turned around, bringing her wand with her, a curse already on her lips; but Harry was too fast, too full of hatred for her. She wasn't even facing him that he had plunged his weapon deep in her entrails and cut her through the ribcage, finishing at her throat. Her intestines fell on the floor, her head leaned of the left and a geyser of blood spilt toward the heavens. She was dead before hitting the ground.

With a deep satisfaction, Harry let go of the handle of his dagger and walked purposely toward the child's body. He felt himself stopped by some invisible force. Probably some kind of wards around a house he mused. But no, the sensation was already gone. Crouching next to the little boy he looked at his face, intending to close the poor soul's eyes. That is until he saw those eyes. Bright green eyes; eyes he knew very well for he was seeing them in the mirror every single day. A quick glance at the head showed a black mop of untamable black hair and a pair of black glasses lying on the ground nearby... Harry Potter was staring at the corpse of himself as a child, except no scar was marring his forehead.

Sighing, Harry closed the eyes of the boy wondering what the hell was going on. Or at least tried to close them, for the second he managed to touch the child's corpse, he felt himself becoming numb.

All of a sudden he could see everywhere and in every direction. Actually he couldn't see, he just knew where things were. He didn't have any eye for he didn't even have a body anymore. In front of him, a pale ghost of his child-self looked at him with a small smile and begun to dissolve in the wind. In the end there were only a silver ball and a golden one with tendril escaping from it. At once they speed toward him and Harry felt himself pulled toward the child's body. He tried to resist and go back to his own body but couldn't: where he once stood there was nothing but his clothes and belongings.

With a deep shock Harry took a deep breath of air and opened his eyes. He was in the body of a six-years-old! The golden ball and its tendrils slammed in his torso closely followed by the silver one which entered his head slowly. Once it was done, Harry felt foreign memories invading his mind, and yet they were his, except it was the first six years of his life in a world where his parents were alive and raised him with his two younger sisters… A world he had wanted all his life… but he didn't have to time to contemplate the meaning of this extraordinary chance. Pain over-took his body as deep gashes opened on his body. Every single scar he knew he had, appeared in the form of wounds. His forehead carved a lighting bolt scar, his right arm opened once on the forearm and once near the shoulder, his back felt like someone was peeling his skin, a light wound appeared on his right leg and another one his left arm.

Harry looked for his wand. Shit! How idiot can I be to keep my wand under the Fidelius Charm? Harry Potter's wand is on his right thigh indeed! I don't wear it, fuck! Where is it? Frantic Harry finally resolved to use Bellatrix's. Using the strongest Healing Charm he knew, he noticed all the bleeding stopped. Harry then conjured a mirror and looked at himself. He was naked and was sporting every single scar he remembered having. After a few minutes he noticed he didn't have the one from the blood-quill; but then again he didn't pay too much attention to it and wasn't used to seeing it.

Waving his wand, Harry tried a spell he had only read about (but he had seen it performed… well, somewhat… something close… whatever).

"Dress"

He had been very careful in picturing his own clothes but unfortunately didn't take in consideration his new body. Thus he ended up like a mummy, with his clothes much too large for him. A bit annoyed Harry got away of the clothes and put the younger Harry's on, yet he kept his shrunken trunk and his wand (even though he was using Bellatrix's). Opening his trunk he shoved his battle robes in it, with his weapons and boots. Putting it back as a pendant to his necklace he thought about what he was going to do and tried to sort his 'new' memories.

Unbeknown to him, the 'younger' Harry's memories had feelings imprints on them and were slowly modifying his own. Luckily if a feeling was too strong (or inexistent) from him, the younger Harry's didn't have any impact. This is how, younger Harry's adoration for Neville Longbottom, the Boy-Who-Lived, was totally shot down by Harry's annoyance and hatred of the title; in the same way, the love for his mother was blossomed by the older Harry's longing; his annoyance at his father for being on guard duty was exacerbated by Harry's remembering of the pensieve's scene; his bother for his young sisters totally disappeared in front of his strong desire for siblings. It also worked the other way: older Harry's love for Lemon Drops was heighten by younger Harry's love for sweet to a degree close to adoration (and in any case even higher than Dumbledore's liking of the sweet), Harry's desire to know more things about the wizarding world's customs was clearly lessened by his 'younger' self annoyance at the 'boring' subject. His hate for the Dursleys remained the same as well as the contempt, fear and hatred for Tom Marvolo Riddle. All in all, the changes weren't very different from the seventeen years old Harry but what would his parents think with the sudden change in their six-years-old son?

Still in thoughts, Harry cancelled any trace of his spell from Lestrange's wand (as well as the Killing Curse's), wiped his finger prints and put it back into the Death Eater cold body like he used to do with Ron when dealing with the dark wizards. He sat on a log, face to 'his' assailant's corpse and thought about what to do about Voldemort.

Weighting up the cons and pros of telling Dumbledore about what had happened to him, Harry conjured a pot of tea. Except it didn't work like expected. Instead of the steaming teapot with china porcelain cup Harry had pictured, some smoke went out of his wand's tip and something else appeared. A phoenix, a very familiar one at that: Fawkes in all his glory and he was pissed, Harry noticed a bit worried.

The phoenix was glaring at him, eying his wand with distrust and the few note song that escaped his beak weren't comforting but really threatening. Harry was at loss. What was he supposed to do? He didn't even know what the problem was. It was a question soon solved as Fawkes flamed away and back in the blink of an eye. He was now holding the sorting hat in it beak at if its attitude was anything to go by, Harry had better try it on, and very soon.

Without any prompting, he placed the hat on his head.

"Hmm, time already?" Harry heard in his ear.

"Er… Not exactly… It's Fawkes the Headmaster's pet, he…" Harry started a bit confused.

"Your rambling young one. Now be quiet and let me see… Hmm… The Boy-Who-Lived in another life? Interesting… Hmm, great friendship there, a lot of loyalty… My, my, my, a basilisk at twelve, a lot of courage indeed… So many kills at your age? Clever, very clever… and cunning too… Quite a bit of knowledge too. Undeveloped for sure but you're young… What that? Hogwarts' Heir? Well isn't that interesting?"

"Hogwarts' Heir? What are you talking about? And for that matter why am I here? And why am I trying this Hat again?" Harry asked.

"Patience, patience. I don't have all the answers. I can only see things you know but were too thick to realize yet… I don't know why you are here. You'll learn what a Hogwarts' Heir is when the time is right. About me being on your head it is simple, you just didn't bother to think not so young Harry Potter. What is in your wand?"

"A phoenix feather from Fawkes…" Harry trailed off as the answer slowly dawned onto him. "You mean he could feel it and came to investigate this unknown part of him?"

"Precisely. Now young Potter, listen and listen well. You are going to go back into you're house and remember to be hurt, you can't be in pristine condition after killing the dark witch. You are going to get to Diagon Alley where you'll pretend to try new sweets and will select the Lemon Drops as the new ones you like. It is for you to find a way to make you parents believe your other new quirks and hobbies. Then you'll go to see the maker of this wand. He'll help you more than you can ever realize if you are honest with him and tell him the truth. He'll direct you to someone else who'll help you achieve your goals, but remember that whatever you do will change the future as you know it. Now to conclude…"

Harry nodded at every sentence. He didn't know why but he felt kind of safe with the Hat giving him orders.

"He's trust worthy" the Hat said aloud.

"Now Mr. Potter" the Hat said back into Harry's ear. "You'd better take me off your head as I have several presents for you and I can't be gone for too long. And remember that blood is very important for these things"

Harry did just what he was being told and removed the Hat. Said magical artifact then seemed to contortion and one item fell of it on the floor, then a second, a third and a fourth. Harry had barely the time to think that Fawkes flew to him, gave him a nudge and trilled softly, warming the young(er) wizard's heart, took the hat in its talons and flamed away.

Bewildered, Harry took a look at the items. There was a very familiar looking sword: Gryffindor's; fives knives (two daggers and three throwing knives) in a dragon hide scabbard; a left-handed gauntlet made of some unidentified dark metal and a heavy piece of another unknown silvery metal shaped like a wand but without a handle (some kind of fifteen inches long cylinder and with a one inch diameter).

Wondering what the Hell was going on, Harry put the four items in his trunk and took his clothes off. Using Bellatrix's wand he applied strong Glamour Charms on the scars he wasn't supposed to have, with a wave he erased all his tracks on the grass. With a barely suppressed shudder he applied the Cruciatus Curse on himself for a second (God damn it! It hurts) and cut himself were Bellatrix had cut him. He then cancelled every evidence on the wand and got (as hard as it was) dressed again. Picking up his dagger that was residing on Bellatrix's remains, he put some blood on his hands and on the front of his robes. Finally satisfied with his set up he dragged himself back home were he knew his mother, Rose (his four-years-old-sister) and Daisy (his fourteen–months-old-sister) were waiting for him.

..ooOoo..

Lily Potter was waiting for her son to cool off. She couldn't run after a sulking child when she had two other kids to deal with. Still she was wondering what took him so long to come back. Sadly the answer came in the form of her bloodied and shaking son.

..ooOoo..

Harry was really wishing he could have waited before injuring himself again. He was in such a pain and the house was far, even if it was already in view. He shouldn't have worried as a second later he heard a yell.

"HARRY!"

Raising his head he saw his mother running toward him. His mother. She was so beautiful, how much he had longed to be with her again and to be hugged by her… His eyes started to prickle and tears felt on both side of face, mixing with the blood and dirt on his cheeks. He was home. Finally home.

Harry knelt on the lawn, marveling at the sensation of the grass; for once, a thing that didn't hurt. There wasn't too many of these things left anymore. A shriek disturbed his thoughts. Painfully he raised his head and met his eyes, or more exactly, eyes like his: his mother's eyes, full of tears. She crouched beside him.

"Harry, sweetie" she said in a soft and caring voice. "What happened to you?"

Harry, lowered his head, and answered in barely a whisper, hoping he was good enough not to raise any suspicion from the Aurors that were sure to come and his mother (for God knows mothers are better trained than cops to discover lies and deceits). "The Wards didn't let her in. She wanted blood. She wanted me…" Harry raised his head and stared at his mother's face. He didn't need to fake the fresh bout of tears that ran down his face. He threw himself at his mother's neck letting his dagger fall on the ground.

Bewildered, Lily Potter hugged her son. She let her eyes roam around him checking him for injuries. His robes were torn, blood was flowing from his arms and legs. There was more of the dark liquid on his face and on his clothing, and there was this item he dropped. A dagger!

Holding her son at arm length she stared at his face. He was crying for real and she noticed the soft weeping when she touched his arm, he was hurt for real too.

"Where did you get the dagger Harry?" she asked softly

He looked at loss for a second, looking at the weapon before answering in a murmur.

"I think it's hers"

"Who are you talking about?"

Harry raised his head and used a trick his new memory provided (and also the old ones from watching Dudley). Making his eyes the bigger he could and letting them water a bit, he made sure to have a tremor in his bottom lips and asked with sobs in his voice

"You won't be angry at me?"

"No Harry" Lily reassured him. "I won't be angry. Tell me who is she?"

"I'm not sure. She is behind the pink rose bush, near the log where I like to sit." Harry answered, making sure to gradually lower his voice.

Lily frowned and nodded. She helped Harry get up and took his hand leading him to the back of the garden. Harry panicked and apparently it was visible for his mother stopped and asked him

"What is wrong sweetie?"

"I don't wanna go" he wined, hoping to have the right tone of voice.

Another frown marred Lily Potter's face.

"All right, but I want you to promise you won't go anywhere and stay here, ok?"

Harry nodded. Looking for memories of a similar situation and finding one he asked

"Can you make a kiss on my bruises to make it better?"

"Of course honey" Lily said with a small smile, but stopped in shock when she saw the deep gashes her son spotted on his body.

"Harry, I need to do something on your bruises to make them better. Can you wait a bit here, please?"

Harry nodded, inwardly in released a deep breath. She didn't suspect anything! He sat on the grass and waited a few minutes for his mother reaction…

A scream reached his ear. Lily had found his little 'present'. He could see her coming running toward him. She stopped shy of bumping into him. She was livid, her wand in her hand and looking around like expecting a full-scale attack. She gently took Harry in her arms and ran toward the house. Once inside she locked the doors and windows after checking that her daughters were inside. She then threw a pinch of Floo powder in the fire and yelled

"Auror Department, Frank Longbottom."

Harry relaxed and sat on the coach. For a second he feared she was going to call Mad-Eye, it would have been difficult to explain why he had glamours on him. He gave a look at his mother who had finished her conversation and, after putting a Blood Clotting Charm on his wounds, was pacing in the living-room.

Finally, after what seemed hours, a silvery squirrel went through the wall and in his mother's head. She instantly relaxed and opened the door. Five grim faced Aurors were there and entered the house. Frank Longbottom murmured a few words to Lily and came toward Harry, he raised his wand and was about to cast a spell when he noticed the child tensed muscles.

"Hi Harry"

Through his 'new' memories Harry 'remembered' he knew the man, but not that well and only knew him because he was Daisy's godfather. He had never talked too much to him but kinda trusted him.

"Hi"

"I'm going to cast a spell on you, is that ok?" Frank asked somewhat gently (the kind of tone that said, I'm-Trying-To-Be-Nice-So-Agree-And-Everything-Will-Be-Ok-Or-Else).

"Is it going to hurt?"

"No, no of course not" the Auror replied a bit at loss with the wary attitude of the child.

Harry then looked at his mother who smiled and nodded.

"Mum says it's ok."

Frank looked shocked for a second then cast the spell. One Harry was very familiar with. It was a spell designed to show the curses put on an object or a person. Instantly he glowed deep purple with red tendrils and very a dark blue.

The Aurors growled. Lily asked what it meant. One of them answered curtly

"Multiple use of Cruciatus and Cutting Curses less than an hour ago and a non-identified spell."

Lily shrieked and went to Harry. She hugged him and started to rock him gently.

"Harry" Frank Longbottom said. "Can you tell me what happened when you left the house?"

Harry proceeded to tell how 'he' went to the back of the garden, how he was summoned (propelled in the air), but withdrew the mention of Wormtail knowing his younger self while knowing Peter Pettigrew had never heard any nickname of the Marauders. He then told how she used the Cruciatus Curse (made him hurt very much everywhere) and cut him. At this point he made up a story of him being propelled in the air again and passing through the Wards. Apparently his lie was convincing and made sense for Frank looked at Lily and said

"I told you not to use Blood Wards. Now look what happened!"

Instantly, the young frightened child disappeared. Harry's face lost all expression, his eyes became bright and cold as an emerald and wind seemed to pass around him, heightening his features. In a cold and threatening voice he spoke to the Auror while pinning him with a glare

"Don't you dare speak to my mother like that you piece of dirt. She's worth ten times your pitiful squadron of Aurors so watch your mouth Frank Longbottom."

He spoke in a whisper but his voice carried in all the room. Some might think a six years old isn't much of a threat but those Law enforcers had see the remains of Bellatrix Lestrange and all of a sudden they didn't feel like making fun of Harry and Lily Potter anymore, ever. Lily for her part wanted to berate her son but couldn't: it was so sweet to see him defending her like if he could do anything against an Auror…

Surprisingly, Frank Longbottom apologized. It shocked everyone, especially Harry who knew how rude the man was, always showing off the fact that he was the father of the Boy-Who-Lived and required respect.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I know you love you mother very much. I didn't want to sound disrespectful to her. Forgive me."

Harry nodded shyly, snuggled against his mother and continued his 'story'. He said he had seen the dagger in Bellatrix boots and had seized it. He explained he had jumped and stabbed her, never letting go of the handle until he had split her 'tummy' in two and she was on the floor next to him and put the tip of her wand toward him. He then said he had been scared to be hurt like before and had pulled the blade up toward her face until she stopped moving. He concluded by going back to the house.

"It seems pretty much right according to what we saw there" one of the Aurors said. "The Death Eater was Bellatrix Lestrange."

Harry felt his mother's grip increasing and heard her whisper but couldn't make out the words.

"As you know, she managed to escape after the attack on your house four years ago and a bounty was put on her name. She has already been declared dead so you get the money, however there is a slight problem, what name do you want to put under the one of the executioner Mrs. Potter?"

Lily didn't answer for a second, but Harry beat her to it.

"I did it."

The Auror looked at him with a mixed expression, the kid was strong enough to kill her but will he support peer pressure?

"We know that Harry, but the public-"

"I did it." Harry repeated.

He saw that a man at the back had understood. Of course the guy had understood! It was Mad-Eye and he had his magical eye! Harry softly cursed. How could he have missed him?

"Aye! Lad is right! Was strong enough to deal with one at six. Don't worry, he'll manage."

All the Aurors and Lily stared at the scared veteran and slowly acknowledged the words. Until Mad-Eye asked a question that made them all frown.

"What's the curse she used on your forehead to give you a scar like that lad?"

Harry could have beaten himself! He had forgotten about his lighting bolt scar. Luckily Neville Longbottom had a moon-shaped scar on the check so no-one made the link, but still…

Catching eyes with Mad-Eye Harry gave a small shake of the head and answered

"I don't know, maybe she didn't say the word? Sometimes when mum cooks pancakes she doesn't say the word?"

It seemed to be accepted as face value by the Aurors as they nodded and wrote that down. Potions where given to Harry and he had to let a drop of blood drop on the bounty paper to get the money (five thousand galleons!) They probably were desperate at the time Harry mused.

When the Aurors took their leaves, Frank Longbottom and Mad-Eye stayed behind. The Auror lead Lily to a corner of the room while Harry stayed under the scrutiny of the scarred veteran. With a very serious expression, Harry slowly took Moody's wand, his never wavering from the old man's face. When he had it, he pretended to study as he glanced at Longbottom and his mum. Their back was turned toward him. With a small jab and a flick of the wand he muttered a Magnifying Charm Keyed onto him and his watcher. Said man had both his eyes fixed on him and didn't even blink when he heard Lily's voice

"-am I supposed to do, Frank?"

"There is nothing to do, Lily" Frank sighed. "Listen , he is six years old. They do not understand the concept of death,-"

"Of course, they do!" Lily whispered back, cutting the Auror angrily. "He gutted her! Gutted her! Her bowels were littering the floor! He doesn't have enough strengh to do it as he said! He probably spend a long time stabbing her! What if he is psychologically damaged or something?"

"Lily! The blade was enhanced to cut through bone like butter. It's very expensive and dark looking, the exact kind of weapons she carried. Harry stabbed her once, that's it. Anyway... he shouldn't remember his sixth birthday that way, keep the day as if nothing had happened, he-"

"Nothing had happened?!?! Are you crazy?"

"Lily! Usually I'd say pay attention to him, make sure he enjoys the day, but it's his birthday, so... Just carry on with what you had planned with him. Bring him to do some shopping, I don't know. If you want I let Mad-Eye with you. The man is so paranoid he'd curse anyone coming near you.

"Okay" Lily answered. She sounded a bit defeated and anxious. She glanced at Harry who was playing with Alastor's wand. "Not so much paranoid if a six years old can take his wand away, Frank."

"Well, I guess he took a liking to the boy. Everybody killing Dark Wizards is alright in his book."

Having heard enough, Harry canceled the Charm and gave his wand back to the old Auror.

"I really should go see Ollivander, my magic is all funny today." Harry complained airily. Seeing the man's eyes still fixed on him, he let out an exasperated sigh. "Ok, do it Alastor, but be quick and quiet. I don't want them to know."

Moody proceeded to cast all the Dark Arts Reveller Harry had ever heard of and some more. Finally somewhat satisfied, he pocket his wand and waited FRank Longbottom's departure to turn toward Lily.

"Hey Lily? What about bringing Harry to Diagon Alley for a treat? It's not been a pleasant birthday so far for him."

Lily looked at Harry who smiled brightly. He needed to go to Ollivander's anyway.

"Okay, just let me call the baby-sitter for the girls" Lily said and went to the fireplace.

Moody turned toward Harry and stared at him.

"I know you're not under any spell or an imposter, but you are not behaving like a six-years-old and have various Glamour Charms on the body. What do you have to say for yourself?" the Auror growled.

"Not now Mad-Eye. I'll tell you later. I don't know when, but I will. In any case not today." Harry answered tiredly. He saw Moody was ready to answer so he went for the kill.

"Don't argue or I won't tell you ever and you can't tell anyone for the more time passes the more I'm likely to behave like a six-years-old."

Moody gave a growl but nodded and said in a whisper

"Your mother is coming back. At least look excited to go to Diagon Alley."

Harry gave a bright smile to the both of them, one to Moody for agreeing to let him be for the moment and one just for his mother. He was just so happy see her. He couldn't wait to see his dad…

..ooOoo..

The Knight bus stopped in front of the Leaky Cauldron with a bang.

"I still don't understand why you didn't want us to take the Floo Mad-Eye" Lily said as she went unsteadily down the bus.

Giving a nasty look at Harry who gave a half-smile, Moody growled "I don't know either. Call it a spur of the moment thing."

"So Harry, where do you want to go?" Lily asked her son with a grin. She couldn't believe how lucky she was. Her son had nearly been taken from her and yet looked relatively unarmed. She knew the following weeks where going to be filled with nightmares of tortures and self-loathing for the life he took, but couldn't stop and feel happy with the result of the day.

The answer was expected coming from Harry…

"CANDY SHOP!"

"Oh yes? And what do you want form there?" she returned with a smile. She knew he was going to answer chocolate frogs so was a bit put out when he didn't.

"I don't know really. I'd like to try new things. Now I can read, maybe I'll find some sweets I like better or as much as chocolate frogs."

Lily stopped in her tracks and stared at her son, tears in her eyes. Her son was growing, he hadn't started to taste life and already he had nearly lost it. She hoped it wasn't going to happen anymore. If she could have it her way, she'd keep Harry and his sisters home with her until they were thirty. But she had her job and there was Hogwarts. Things were so complicated.

"Of course Harry. Maybe you'll like blood-flavored lollipops?" she asked with an impish grin and a wink.

"Eww! That's disgusting! I want things that taste like fruits." Harry said with a wink in answer to his mum's.

Both son and mother entered the shop laughing.

..ooOoo..

A couple hours later it was a very content Harry who emerged with his mother from the Floo, happily sucking a Lemon drop (his 'new' favorite sweet), sporting a new pair of robes and holding a bag of gifts. He had tried to get a broom from his mother but the interdiction was still in place. No flying until Hogwarts.

While Lily talked with the baby-sitter (a recent Hogwarts graduate by the name of Mariana), Harry climbed the stairs and went to 'discover' his bedroom.

Even though he had memories of the room, Harry could hardly contain the irritation he felt upon entering. First it was really a six-years-old room: toys were everywhere, nothing was at its place and you couldn't walk without squashing something. Furthermore, it was un-defendable. The bed was in the middle of the room, directly in front of the door, the desk was in a corner, near the window and back to the door, a big wardrobe blocking any easy dodging.

Realizing with a sight how paranoid he was, Harry started to pick up 'his' toys and put them in three bags. One for the ones who had a remote use to him, one for those too new to be disposed of that soon without raising suspicion and a last one for the things to be given or put in the basement until Rose was old enough.

Once it was done and he could walk more freely in the room, Harry started to move the furniture. It took a good couple of hours for a bed, a desk and a wardrobe. Annoying for sure, but not unexpected from a six-years-old body. He finally managed to get more or less what he wanted. The closet was locking the view and forced people to advance in his room in order to be able to see the rest. The bed was positioned against a wall, facing the window and the end of the wardrobe, letting Harry have a full view of who ever got into his room. Finally the desk was next to his bed, facing the window but from the other part of the room, thus back to the wall. Nobody could get in and surprise him.

Opening his bag, Harry put two quidditch posters on the wall and a small mirror. With the practice acquired by years living with the Dursleys he scoured the floor and found a loose floorboard between his bed and the closet. There he hid his supply of Lemon Drop. Of course, he kept his trunk around his neck and his wand on himself. He had pestered his mother to get a necklace with a trunk pendant on it thus it wouldn't seem odd if it was seen by someone.

Harry was reading a book on Secrecy Contracts and Vows when he heard someone get into his room. Quickly hiding his reading and taking a started drawing with a pencil he acted like if he was looking for inspiration. It was his little sister Rose. She was only four but run everywhere (and talked all the time). Looking at Harry she took a deep breath and said nothing.

Encouraging her, Harry tilted his head and gave her a smile. "Yes Rose?

Hesitantly she said "I can talk to you now? You won't be mad?"

Wheels turned in Harry's head and he 'remembered' getting angry at her before going into the garden and forbidding her to ever talk to him anymore.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Of course you can talk to me."

Apparently it was a bad idea as Rose immediately gave him a big grin and started to tell him everything she had done with Mariana while their mum and he were gone. It could have lasted for hours (actually, it felt like it to Harry), luckily Lily's voice brought her back to reality.

"Rose? Did you find your brother?"

"Yes mum!" she replies happily.

"Mum says you are to get downstairs to see the surprise birthday party we planned for you."

"Hmm… Rose?" Harry said with uncertainty and a smile. "How can it be a surprise party if you're telling me?"

Her eyes grew opened and her bottom lip trembled. "You didn't know?" she asked in a small voice.

Smelling a disaster, Harry replied with a grin. "Of course I did, silly. But you are not supposed to say." He finished by touching the little girl with a finger on the nose.

At the contact she seemed to get out of her trance and giggled. "Then come on! There is a cake but I'm not telling what it is!" She took Harry's hand and proceeded to drag him into the living room.

There, a dozen persons were waiting for him.

"SURPRISE!"

Even though he already knew, Harry didn't have to fake his surprise. He understood something had happened and he was in some kind of alternate universe where Neville Longbottom was the Boy-Who-Lived but the implications didn't quite register in his brain. He was facing his father! Next to him were Dumbledore and Sirius. All alive and well. Giving in the impulsion he jumped at his father's neck and hugged him.

"And I don't get one?" Sirius asked, with a grin.

Laughing Harry latched onto his godfather and didn't let him go. Therefore he made his tour of the room in Sirius' arms. He was seventeen years-old and had seen things the others could only imagine but he felt so safe held that way…

Unfortunately, good can only come with bad and he had to give hug to 'uncle' Peter. The rat was there and breathing, with a smile on his face like if he hadn't planned his family's death with Bellatrix Lestrange. Harry swallowed hard and fought to keep the disgust from showing on his face. Looking around he tried to spot Remus but didn't find him. Checking 'his' memories, he noticed he had never meet Remus Lupin. Puzzled he promised himself to look into it later.

Neville Longbottom was there parading like a peacock. It displeased Harry greatly, partly because it was his birthday (Neville's was the previous day) and also because it clearly showed arrogance. The boy was full of himself! Instinctively Harry knew that if he wanted to stop Voldemort he would have to help the boy more that anything. Luckily, some other boys were there. Ones that 'younger' Harry had never met, but Harry remembered him very well for he had spent years at school with them: Ron Weasley was there with his Fred and Georges, all of them looking a bit put out when looking at the others clothing. With a big grin Harry went and introduced himself to his past/future best friend and his brothers.

..ooOoo..

The party had gone pretty well. The majority of the gifts were totally useless to Harry but he appreciated the thought anyway. Still, several were very good. Dumbledore had offered him a bag of Lemon Drop, Mad-Eye had sent a Foe-Glass with a note (Thank you for taking care of her, A.M., PS Explanation, PS2 PK Go and back, Ollivander). Harry had managed to hide the note. He would have a use for it later and didn't want his parents start asking him awkward questions. The last gift was probably the best one, it came from the Weasleys: a Weasley jumper (green color). Harry couldn't stop the grin that blossomed on his face when he opened it and put it on himself.

Overall he was very pleased with the night. His parents, Dumbledore and Neville had noticed the absence of his usual idolization of the Boy-Who-Lived. While Neville seemed a bit put out by this new Harry and used it as an excuse to leave quickly, it seemed to please his mother and Dumbledore. His father didn't know how to react: in one hand he didn't approve of the idolization, but in the other he was one of the Auror assigned to guard the Wizarding world savior and talked mostly of that with his son.

He had made fast friend with Ron and the twins, talking of little sisters, quidditch, pranks and what Hogwarts was going to be like. Harry was even supposed (pending Molly's approval, of course) to go sleep over someday during the next month. His meeting with the two kids of Sirius had thrown him a bit afoot, yet he managed to bond with them as they really seemed to love their father (then again what kind of three and one years old don't).

Gulping a Pepper-Up potion, Harry waited for his father snores to reach him before quietly going into the garden. When he was near the log where he killed Bellatrix Lestrange he passed the Wards, happy to know she had disabled them and took the note from Moody. Taking a deep breath he said

"Ollivander"

And Harry Potter was whisked away to the beginning of his new destiny.