Chapter 1 - Assassination
January 15 1925 – The Forbidden Forest
The first thing Harry noticed as he regained consciousness was the smell. A strange combination of something burnt and wet. Opening his eyes he was able to make out he was in a clearing.
A burnt clearing.
Harry stood up, careful not to use his damaged hand, and looked around. The clearing lay in ruin.
Burnt stumps and fallen trees were all that was left of this once beautiful part of the forest.
Harry lifted his hand and examined the long gash on his arm, he knew he was lucky. It seemed Dumbeldor held back. Otherwise, Harry knew, he would have been worse than dead, Elder wand or not. He lifted the wand with the intention of healing himself with a spell, only none came to mind.
He didn't know any healing spells, and the Elder wand didn't supply him with one. Using a vocabulary yet to be seen in this time line, Harry cursed Dumbeldor. Why did he have to make this so difficult? He committed one of the worst sins known to man just so he could come here. Wasn't that sacrifice enough?
Anger cursed through his veins like poison. His grip tightened around the wand, and something in him snapped. Like a memory from a distant dream, he was filled with a strange emotion.
That this magic was not beyond him.
"Sarcio"
Harry never even so much of heard the incantation. But the Elder Wand wouldn't – couldn't be denied. When the wand light faded away, there was no trace of the wound.
If Harry didn't know it was the Elder Wands work, he would have been proud.
Grinning slightly, Harry performed quick cleaning and repairing charms on his robes. Then conjured a mirror. Staring back at him was his seventeen years old reflection. Hogwarts school uniform made it familiar somewhat. Except he wore no glasses and his face was filled with cuts and bruises.
Using the same spell as before, Harry made those disappear. Satisfied, Harry was about to banish the mirror when an explosion resounded. For a few moments all was calm, and then black lighting shot forth in multiple direction from somewhere inside the clearing. Harry rolled aside, hands clutching the wet and scorched soil.
The mirror smashed and Harry conjured a shield against the flying shards. A stray lighting hit a nearby tree and it exploded into chunks of wood and roaring flame. The clearing was once again shrouded with smoke.
Using his robe to cover mouth from the smoke, Harry moved silently behind one of the still standing trees and took cover. He tried to inhale quietly, but his breath was still heavy from the fight with Dumbeldor.
All sorts of thoughts flashed through his mind. He made all this way for nothing, he knew it. How foolish, how arrogant he must have been to think he could fool Dumbeldor. A small shard of his old persona and a grain of truth just weren't enough to fool the old man.
He knew it, he just knew it -
The fight between him and his pursuers would draw attention to them and this would be the end of his mission. A strange sense of serenity then overtook Harry. His path was clear now.
Harry span around the tree, wand in hand.
"Avada Kad-"
Harry froze. No no no, not this, please, anything but this.
"Harry?" a female voice asked. A very familiar female voice.
"G-Ginny?" he stuttered. Great, this was just great! How did she follow him? Harry's head was stuck.
"Is that you mate?" Rons voice came behind the smoke.
Unfortunately, Harry could not reply to that. You see, at that very moment, something crashed into him with all the speed of a Comet 7. Crushing all the air out of him and sending him staggering several feet backwards. That is, if a Comet 7 was red headed and could give you a hug.
"Harry!"
It was odd what thoughts pass through your mind at these moments. For Harry it was her smell. He had always wondered whether Ginny just smelled like that, or was it a perfume. Something between crushed strawberries and rain. It was intoxicating...
Suddenly, Harry became aware of where he was. It wasn't the gravity of the situation that had awakened him. No, it was Ginny. She was shivering. With a pang of guilt, he realized that she was crying.
"Shhh, it's alright. I'm fine" he said. Slowly, he put his arms around her, pulling her closer.
"It's not alright!" Ginnys hands dug at his shoulders, it was starting to get painful. But he let it go.
"I thought you were dead! You – you"
"Acclaro"
Suddenly, all the smoke cleared and Harry found himself looking at three very familiar faces. Ron, Hermione and... of all people
"Malfoy" his voice came quieter than he intended. Almost a hiss.
Draco sneered.
"An unforgivable Potter? Even -"
Whatever he said next, he didn't say loud enough. As Hermione voice came to rival that of an Howler.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER!
"IF YOU EVEN THINK ON CASTING THAT CURSE AGAIN, I AM GOING TO SNAP YOUR WAND IN HALF!"
She sounded so much like Misses Weaselly that Harry instinctively winced. What made this moment even more awkward was the fact that Harry and Ginny were still...close.
Ginny pulled away. Harry, seeking some way to console her but not knowing how. Finally resorted to patting her slightly on the shoulder. Then he had to mentally smack himself for lack of tact.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? RUNNING AWAY, GETTING YOURSELF INTO A TRAP! YOU COULD GET YOURSELF KILLED!"
A sudden laugh abruptly caught their attention, it wasn't very loud. But it was enough to make Hermione look rather scornfully at Ron.
Harry fought down something that felt awfully close to a blush.
He wasn't that tactless...
Ron was facing Hermione now. "Don't look at me like that!"
"Everything is fine, Harry is fine"
"It is most certainly not fine! He almost cast the Killing Curse! The Killing Curse!"
"Hermione calm down!" Suddenly, Harry felt very grateful to his friend.
"It's not like he could cast the bloody curse anyway"
Harry didn't bother correcting him on that one. But the distraction allowed him to contemplate his options.
Hermione appeared to hesitate.
"You cannot change the past, Harry" she said finally. "You should know better than that."
Raising an eyebrow, "Why is that?" Harry asked, feigning ignorance.
"Because you can't! Horrible things happen to wizards who meddle with time! You heard what Dumbeldor said"
Cold anger washed over him. Dumbeldor again! Would she ever think on her own?
"First" he said coldly. "It's a Ministry law, not Dumbeldors"
"Second, I figured it all out Hermione" his voice turning friendly again, not without consciousness effort.
"It's all just a batch of lies. The Ministry couldn't have people meddle with the time line. So they invented the whole story up."
Seeing the still skeptical look on his friends faces. He added.
"Give me one person who meddled with time, Hermione. Just some proof, something substantial"
Hermione appeared to hesitate.
"I am sure there are records in the Ministry." she said.
"There are no records Hermione! I checked on our last visit there"
"Last time – when we went to get the locket?" she asked, surprised.
"I remember, we split up. But you couldn't possibly have enough time -"
Harrys smile was almost predatory.
"It was almost like being in two places at once"
Silence.
"You didn't -"
Harry smile just got wider.
"I did"
Seeing the confused expressions on Ron, Ginny and Draco faces. Hermione added
"He used a time turner!"
"What?"
"How did he get -"
Harry silenced them with his hand.
"That's not important. You see Hermione? There is no danger."
"Harry you can't - " Ginny began.
"Actually I have a name" Hermione said suddenly.
Everyone turned to look at her. "I know of one person who tried to change time, he failed though."
Hermione hesitated. "His name... his name was Arawn."
Harry felt as if the entire world has been dropped beneath him. "I didn't know you believed in myths Mione" He smiled mockingly, hoping it didn't look forced.
"No!" She appeared unsure of herself, which was good. "It fits the facts, I – I - " She stuttered. "I have evidence to that one, trust me" She looked around, seeking support.
"Harry?" Ginny asked. "Who was Arawn?"
He sighed. Better explain it himself than letting her do it. "Hadrian actually" he said. "Hadrian is to Arawn what Tom Riddle is to Voldemort.
"Well" he added. "Except Hardrian isn't real of course"
"You don't know that!" Hermione pointed out. "You might not have proof that something is real. But that doesn't mean it's a lie"
"Same is true for half the things Luna believes in. But you never seemed inclined to believe her"
"Will you two just stop?" Ron interrupted. "Just tell us who he is, so we could judge ourselves"
"Fine" Harry said. "There is an old myth, something ridiculous really - "
"Harry!"
"Okay, okay! Like I was saying" He took a deep breath. "There is an old myth about an ancient wizard civilization. I am talking about a time so distant, we don't have any valid records from. Everything from that time is shrouded with smoke. As if...as if wizards were analphabetics."
"Except they weren't" Hermione interjected.
"I am doing fine on my own, Hermione" he scolded.
"I was only trying to make a point." She said. "If there aren't any writings from that time, it must mean -"
"A war of some sort, yes" Harry interrupted her, this was his story. "Thank you very much"
"Not necessarily a war though, but it was a catastrophe. A catastrophe that brought civilization to the brink of ruin."
"So far, while not very likely, the story is believable. But from here... You see, according to the story, in the middle of this catastrophe stood one person, one wizard."
"Hadrian?" Ginny asked.
Harry nodded. "While still evil, Hadrian isn't depicted as the psychopath you would expect him to be. He was apparently quiet charming. But more importantly, he pretended to fight injustice"
"Like Tom Riddle?" Hermione asked, seemingly interested in the story.
Harry felt a flash of annoyance. No! Not like Riddle! "I – no, not like Riddle"
"Riddle was born normal, talented yes, but still human, equal to any other wizard."
"Hadrian was different. Born as one of the Defenders, and most powerful of them all"
Despite himself. Harry found he enjoyed telling this story. He searched his friends attentive faces for any sign of recognition. But Hermione was the only one who didn't appear confused.
"The Defenders" he said. "Or Keepers. Are a group of thirteen people who took it upon themselves to fight evil, no matter the cost. They are magic sworn, always compelled into action. Regardless of the expense for the lives of others or that of their own."
"Because of their oath they are impossible to corrupt." Harry didn't want to appear to take this too seriously, but it was important that they understand. "If a Defender is starting a rebellion, he must be right and the other side unjust."
"And that's what Hadrian did. He started a war. Or rather, he fueled an existing one."
"With a Defender on their side, people flanked into the rebel ranks in masses."
"See how that might be a problem?" he asked.
"But that doesn't explain the catastrophe." Ginny pointed out.
"Ah" Harry said smugly. "But it does. You see, wizards do not fight wars. Even with Voldemort, he does not gather an Army and attack outright. As mad as he is, he knows what wizard wars looks like"
"A disaster?" Ron asked.
"More like a butcher house" Harry added. "What's more. Hadrian didn't just side against his home country, he sided against the Order. Against the other Keepers"
"That probably resulted in a civil war" Hermione noted.
"As the story goes anyway" Harry continued. "Hadrian side was loosing. Seeing this, he made everything in his power to prevent it."
"Including changing time" Hermione added.
"Including changing time" He agreed. "But time is not meant to be changed. We are all mortals after all. Defenders or not. It would be impossible for one person, no matter how powerful to prevent so many from dying."
"It resulted in a catastrophe. When the dust settled. There was no civilization. There was nothing" Harry concluded. "Or that is how the story goes anyway"
Harry waited. Giving his friends some time to digest all of this. A moment passed.
"Wicked" Ron said.
What? How could he possibly -
"I agree with Granger, Potter" Draco said, smirking. "Just because you did not find proof, does not mean it isn't real."
He was sure Draco did this solely for spite. And was prepared to tell him exactly that, when Ginny spoke.
"I think Harrys right. I cannot believe in something like that without any proof"
Harrys heart rose. "But it's too dangerous... for you to try and kill Voldemort. We don't know what will happen"
She smiled, softening the blow. "You are a great story teller though, and a great wizard. But let's just go home. We have our own war to fight"
His heart sank. He had hoped that of all people that Ginny would side with him. "You cannot possibly believe that ludicrous bed time story!"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You have to at least accept the possibility. The consequences..." She trailed.
There was no way he would convince them now. It was over, lost. Harry realized he had to do something. A little more and they would decide to stun him for his own good. No, he had to act, and now.
With a pang of guilt, he made his decision. "Ginny - " he trailed as he made a step forward. "I appreciate how much you care for me. Really, I do" He embraced her into a hug, his wand arm coming behind her back.
"But you know" his voice dropped to a whisper. Quiet, but loud enough for everyone to hear. "I do have my..." He aimed his wand. "responsibility"
Stupify!
Silently, he stunned Draco, then Hermione. They dropped to the ground like puppets cut from their strings. Their bodies making a soft thump as they hit the forest ground.
"W-What?" Ron and Ginny voices were almost at synch.
Stupify!
While a good friend most of the time. Ron was not the quickest thinker, and Harrys curse hit him square at the chest.
There was a reason why Harry stunned them in that order. Draco was the most likely candidate to use lethal curses. Hermione the brightest, and quicker thinker than Ron.
Ginny though... She had to be facing the other way. Not only distracted from the action, but also used as a shield to deter Ron from using any curses. Just in case he was quick enough.
It was Brilliant really. Cruel. But brilliant.
Ginny freed herself from his grasp and looked back.
"What - " She stopped. Obviously at loss.
"Goodnight Ginny. For what it's worth, I am sorry"
Stupify!
Quickly now, Harry made his way toward the Hogwarts gates. It was starting to get late, the sun has almost finished disappearing behind the horizon. The iron gates appearing bigger now that he left the forest.
Harry crossed the plain between the forest and the gates as quickly as possible. His thoughts spinning back to his friends and what he had just done. He had known that he had to do this alone, of course. Killing Voldemort was his responsibility. His burden.
He reached out to the giant handle and knocked on the gates. The metal shrieked in protest. Once...Twice...
When his friends showed up. He didn't want their help. But he meant to find some other way to do this. He tried to justify his actions to himself. After all, they didn't follow him through time only to let him seal his own fate. His tried to convince them it was safe. He tried. They just didn't leave him with a choice...
A minute passed. Then two. Then five. Harry began to fear that classes would end and he would miss his window. But then he heard footsteps. Someone was coming down the road from the castle.
"Who's there? Identify yourself!"came a mans voice.
Cautious. But not hostile...
Harry raised his shoulders, preparing himself to act every bit like a spoiled scion he pretended to be.
"My name" he called in his most affronted voice. "is Charles Potter"
There was silence from the other side. A moment passed. Then he heard metal slide on metal and a face appeared in the left side of the gate. Quickly as it appeared, the hole closed back. Returning to being just another part of the gate.
"Interesting...very interesting" replied the voice.
Harry felt his heart miss a beat. "Excuse me sir. But what is so interesting?" For a second, the voice reminded him of the Wand Maker.
"You claiming to be Charles Potter. When I happen to know for a fact he is currently in the infirmary recovering from a near-death broom accident.
For the second time that day, Harry felt the ground drop beneath him. This was not happening!
Not only had he miscalculated the dates. Coming when his grandfather was still a student. He arrived on a time when Charles was incapacitated.
For a few seconds he was at a loss of what to say. But then an idea had come to him. He was, after all, the seventh Defender. All he had to do was make that person open that hole in the gate again...
He withdrew his wand from his pocket and slid it into his right sleeve. All set. He embraced the spoiled persona again.
"What? How dare you lie to me!" Harry called. "I am Charles Potter. Son of Arnold and Maria Potter. The clothes that you wear were bought with my family donations to this school!"
As Harry expected. It wasn't enough to open the gate. But it was enough to make the man open that hole again. He did, after all, look like Charles Potter.
Raising his arm to point at the newly revealed face, he called in his most commandant voice.
"Imperio!"
Light shone from under his palm, illuminating the iron with hellish green light. In the days dying light, Harry could see the man's eyes loosen their resolve. But most importantly, he could feel the curse building. The man's will coming crushing down and being replaced with his own...
"Open the gate" he commanded.
Metal shrieked and there was a sound of a chain dropping to the ground. Eventually Harry found himself standing in front of a man in his mid forties. He held a wand in his left hand, but Harry wasn't worried. That wand was his to control.
He sent a silent command through the newly formed connection. The reply was not late in coming.
"Welcome home. Mr. Potter"
"So remind me again, Andre" Harry said as they rounded a corner. They were currently making their way towards Dumbeldors classroom. "What is my cover story?"
Truthfully, Harry was rather tired. Casting so many powerful spells in such a short time was rather taxing. But he trusted the Elder Wand to make up for that. Regardless, he had to remain focused. Keep to the plan.
"You are my nephew." Andre said in a rather disturbingly emotionless voice. "Home schooled due to the war with Grindelwald. Even after the war was over, my brother didn't want to send you to Durmstrang. It was only two years afterward that you were allowed to continue your education in a school, and Hogwarts at that"
Harry smiled tiredly. "Excellent" he said. He was rather proud of that story. Harry suppressed a yawn. Must be the Imperio taxing him.
"You know" Andre said as they rounded another corner. "People would know we are lying"
Harry stopped. Startled. "What?" he asked, alarmed.
"Yes" Andre said matter of factly. If not for the emotionless face, Harry would have thought he sounded smug. "People know I have a nephew. But he is fifteen years old. You do not look fifteen"
Yes, definitely smug. Harry cast a glance at his sleeve, where the Elder Wand lay hidden, just waiting to be called. "Fifteen, you say?" He brought the wand to his hand. Silently, he tried to master the strength to call on the knowledge from the wand.
A moment passed. Nothing happened.
With a sigh, Harry realized he was just too tired. "Andre?" he asked. "Can you do this for me?"
"Sure thing, Harry" The Hogwarts teacher said, withdrawing his wand from his robe pocket.
He stared at Harry for a moment, his face lost in concentration. The fire in his eyes almost coming alive again. Almost.
"Alteramentum"
He touched his wand to Harrys head. Water spilled on his head. Or at least, what felt like water. The sensation then spread downwards, until he was engulfed in a feeling of being wet. But it wasn't cold. No, it felt warm.
Then just as suddenly as it begun. It ended. Harrys eyes came into focus on a now taller Hogwarts teacher. "Did it work?" he asked.
"Like a charm" replied the professor, using his wand to shrink Harrys robes to fit his new size.
"Come, let's go" Harry said tiredly, enforcing his command with magic.
The rest of the trip was carried unhitched. With only one Professor greeting Andre as they passed him on the hallway. As it turned out, the disillusionment spell was completely unnecessary.
A couple minutes later, they were there. It was a strange feeling, an oaken door was all that stood between him and Voldemort now. After all this time. Harry smiled.
Now to change back... he thought. I will add a few years though. It would certainly help in pretending to be an Auror.
Andre raised his wand. "No!" Harry scolded harshly. Then he corrected himself. "I mean, please don't. I want to try it myself"
He was still tiered of course. But he knew the spell. And for the Elder Wand it was enough.
Though he made sure to re sized his robes before casting.
"Alteramentum"
Harry experienced the warm, wet sensation again. It went right through him, from head to toe. Then just as abruptly as it came, it ended. Harry then banished the Hogwarts crest from his uniform. Making it completely black and smooth. Instinctively, he checked the Auror badge was still in his pocket.
"Now we are ready. Go fetch Riddle." He ordered the professor.
Andre approached the classroom door and knocked. In the meantime, Harry did his best to appear serious and impassive, in what he hoped, was a professional attitude. Andre then opened the door and stepped inside. The classroom noise immediately hushed. They were apparently engaged in a practical exercise of some sort.
Andre voice came from inside the classroom, asking something. Following was a relatively short discussion ending only with the sound of a chair being pushed back.
Harry found himself fighting butterflies in his stomach. It was so strange, working so hard to achieve something and finally getting there. At last, he would be able to get rid of the psychopath that ruined so many lives. His and his parents included. People always said you should not seek vengeance. But they were wrong. Dead wrong.
Andre stepped outside of the classroom, and behind him...
Harry held his breath.
Behind him, looking to the world a student, like any other was the very person Harry had sought to destroy
Voldemort, Harry hissed mentally. Nothing, nothing, could have prepared him for the onslaught of emotions that assaulted him. This wave of hatred and utmost loathing. Harry had to fight hard to maintain an impassive expression.
Tom Riddle, or as he became known later, Voldemort, had hair as black as night, much like Harry himself. But, much unlike Harry, his eyes were a pale shade of gray. That, and his face had a rather sharp strike to it, making it appear somewhat older.
Harry was pleased to note that Riddle appeared somewhat nervous.
"Mr. Riddle. This is Auror Alfred Wells. He is here because... well, because..."
"I believe" Harry interjected dryly. "That what your teacher is trying to say here boy. Is that I am Auror Alfred Wells" Harry pulled the Auror badge from his pocket. "And you Mr. Riddle are to be taken for questioning"
Riddle mouth literally just flung open. "I – I – What?"
"Yesterday morning, six AM. Tom Riddle Sr. was found dead in his house in little Hangelton. No signs of burglary were found in the house and no signs of violence were found on the body. The Muggle authorities suspect natural death. The Ministry however, checks the... magical... aspect
of the case."
Riddle staggered back. Appearing shocked. "M-My father is...dead?" Riddle asked quietly. Then he seemed to realize something, "Wait! You don't think I did it? I would never – no – I couldn't - "
Harry raised his hand signaling him to stop. They boy was a good actor, he would give him that.
Originally he had planed to travel into Riddle Sixth year, after he had killed his father. But as it was, he had to make changes. The plan had to work. Stick to the plan.
"Relax boy." Harry said calmly. "Nobody is accusing you of anything...yet. But considering you are his only wizard relative... It is only natural the Ministry will summon you for questioning."
Riddle seemed to relax somewhat. "I guess" He said after some time. "When?" he asked.
"In an hour" Harry replied. "So if you don't mind I would prefer to end this as quietly as possible. Now Riddle, if you please, surrender your wand"
"I – What?" Riddles asked, left hand protectively covering his pocket. "You are arresting me!"
"For legal purposes, yes" Harry said. "However, I prefer to look at it in a more favorable light. This is how you help us catch your fathers killer. Besides, if you cooperate things will go much more smoothly Mr Riddle, for the both of us."
Riddle hesitated. This was the trickiest part. Tricking Riddle into giving up his wand, therefor eliminating any chance he had of defending himself. Overall it might not have been necessary, but Harry didn't like taking chances. Especially with Voldemort.
Riddle stared at Harry, then at his professor. Who, under the imperio, gave a slight node. Ever so slowly, Riddle withdrew his wand and handed it over to Harry. Handle first.
Overall, Harry thought Riddle went a little too far with his performance. He was too uncooperative to be innocent. A normal student would just hand the wand over and cry later.
"No!" A voice cried to Harrys right. "Don't! It's a trap"
Harrys head snapped down the hallway.
NO
Imagine his shock when he saw not one, or even two, but four people running down the corridor. His...friends miraculously recovered.
"Don't hand over your wand, he isn't really an Auror" Malfoy said. For of course it was him.
Rather futile...
Harry forced his gaze back to Riddle outstretched arm. But it was too late. Riddle just drew his wand outside of Harrys reach. It's end changing direction so quickly, it would put most Aurors to shame"
"Expeliarmus"
Bright red light blocked Harrys vision as he was flung backwards against the corridors wall. He felt his wand slip, taken away by the force of magic.
Damn, it hurts
A horrible sensation began to grow in his gut, but before he managed to figure out what it was, someone shouted
"Stupify"
And everything turned black.