Chapter 4:

The Letter

and

The Story

"I only know one way to tell this to you... It's in no longer 1981... It is in fact 1995." Dumbledore looked at them pitifully. Lily's emerald green eyes were widened in horror, tears starting to well in the corners, and James just stared into space, a pained look on his face.

Lily opened and closed her mouth a few times, wanting to say something, but not knowing how to say it. James spoke for her. "How?" He whispered, his voice cracking.

"I don't know for sure. I have a few theories, but now is not the time for them," Dumbledore replied simply.

"He's 15," Lily said softly, crying. Dumbledore looked at her sorrowfully.

"In a few weeks I'm afraid." James held his wife as she cried, tears falling down his face as well. Thousands of questions flew through his mind. Dumbledore stood up slowly, and walked around his desk. "Now, now. It's not all that bad," He said comfortingly, patting their shoulders. "He's grown into a strong young man. Just like his parents." Lily calmed down a little at this.

"All those years with Sirius. He must be strong," James laughed shakily, trying to ease the tension the only way he knew how.

Dumbledore looked at him with a pained expression. "Perhaps we should start this story from the very beginning," He said, returning to his chair behind the old desk. "Lily, when you sacrificed yourself to protect Harry that night, something strange and wonderful happened. When Voldemort used the killing curse on Harry, it backfired. Something you did, made it backfire, and Harry survived with nothing but a scar on his forehead."

"Blood magic," she whispered. James snapped his head in her direction, incredulously. "It was blood magic." She wiped her nose. "I – I found a book a few months- right before we went into hiding. On witches magic. I found a spell in it that would protect Harry if something should happen to us."

Dumbledore nodded knowingly. "I suspected as much."

"So he's dead? Voldemort?" James asked in disbelief. "The prophecy is completed?"

"I'm afraid not, James… That night, when the spell rebounded, Voldemort lost his corporeal body, and went into hiding. Many thought he was dead, but I knew he would return. I sent him to live with your sister, Petunia-"

"WHAT!" Lily yelled angrily. "You left my son with Petunia? We left explicit instructions that if something were to happen to us, Sirius and Remus would take care of him!"

"Sirius was sent to Azkaban," Dumbledore said calmly. Lily stopped her ranting immediately.

"What?" She asked confused.

"No," James said painfully, and put his head in his hands. "No, not Sirius."

"I'm afraid so, James."

"What?" Lily repeated, looking from Dumbledore to James.

"They sent him to Azkaban for our deaths. Because we told no one in the sudden change of secret keepers," James said quietly, rubbing his forehead.

Lily's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened. "So Peter's out there on the loose, while an innocent man rots in jail. How could they not give him a fair trial? It's outrageous!" She jumped out of her chair and strode purposefully towards the door.

"You can't just go walking into Azkaban and scream at some Dementors Lily," Dumbledore said gently. "I'm trying to tell you a story. And if you'd listen to all of it without interruptions such as these, you can see Sirius sooner. Now, if you please, take a seat." Lily grudgingly sat back down in her chair, making it clear she was not happy. "Where was I?"

"Sending my son to live with his Aunt," Lily growled.

"Ah yes. I sent him to live with his Aunt and Uncle because I did not believe Voldemort was dead, merely had his body taken away from him. And with all the Death Eaters roaming around everywhere looking for him, it was the safest place I could send him. You have to understand, Britain was chaos in the weeks that followed that night. Frank and Alice were tortured into insanity. There were squads of Death Eater's out looking for Harry, to avenge their fallen leader. The only way to protect Harry was to send him somewhere safe. For the spell you cast on him would work after I lengthened it, was to send him to his only blood relatives. If I had not of done this, I highly doubt Harry would even be alive today." Dumbledore said, calmly, resting his hands on the table. James looked concerned at the old man's last statement.

"So you see, Sirius, being his usual... impulsive self, went straight after Pettigrew after checking on young Harry. He cornered him in a muggle area, but Pettigrew managed to trick him," Dumbledore paused and sighed before he continued. "He blew up thirteen muggles, cut off his finger, and transformed into his animangus form. And he left Sirius red handed. He was immediately sent to Azkaban without a trial."

"WHAT!" both Lily and James yelled.

James saw red. "Sent to Azkaban without a trial?" he repeated, incredulously. "You are Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, how could you overlook something as big as a trial?"

"Everything was a mess in the aftermath of your deaths," Dumbledore repeated. "I have been ashamed of myself since I discovered Sirius's innocence. But the evidence was stacked against him. No one in the Ministry knew Peter Pettigrew was an animangus. And everyone understood, myself included, that he was your secret keeper. None of us knew of the switch."

The older wizard sighed. "Justice will be served, I assure you." Dumbledore smiled at the thought of Sirius deciding to scare the life out of Harry's relatives.

He then continued to tell them stories of their son throughout his time spent at Hogwarts. How Harry, at only fourteen, had already escaped Voldemort more than his parents. The fact that he'd been the youngest seeker in a century (James puffed out his chest at this, while Lily held her head in her hands mumbling "not another one."), the troll, the sorcerer's stone, Quirrel, The Chamber of Secrets and Lockheart. He told them everything he knew except...

IIIIIIIIIIIII

Harry opened his eyes sleepily, smiling. He'd had another dream about his parents. They had been arguing over taking him for a ride on James's Comet-260. He smiled bigger thinking about it. Harry couldn't help but feel giddy, until he looked at the clock on the wall. It was 2 in the morning. He got up quietly, tiptoeing to the bedroom door. He snuck down stairs to have a glass of water, avoiding the creaking stair that was sure to wake his aunt up who, despite her little ears, had a great sense of hearing. He walked into the kitchen and took a cup out of the top cabinet. Filling it up with water up from the sink, he sat down at the table drinking slowly.

Something brown caught his eye, laying in the trash can. Curiosity got the better of him, and Harry walked slowly over to the trash can, keeping an eye out for his Aunt and Uncle. It's the letter! He inwardly yelled in surprise. He carefully pulled the letter out of the trash.

Dear Mrs. Petunia Dursley of #4 Privet Drive

I am pleased to inform you that your sister, Lily Evans Potter, along with her husband, James Potter, were found in proximity of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on the 6th of July. They are currently being nursed back to health and will arrive within the week to retake custody of your nephew.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Harry stared at the letter, his jaw hanging. He couldn't believe it. Alive? Impossible. But it was in Dumbledore's handwriting. He wouldn't speak of such things unless they were true. His eyes widened. Someone was breathing down his neck.

"How dare you," Vernon growled, grabbing the back of his nephew's shirt. "Going through things that aren't yours." He hauled Harry away from the trash can...