Dear readers,

Before you read this chapter, I have a confession to make. There is a reason I don't follow the books as closely as most writters of Harry Potter fan fiction is that I don't own the books. The sight where I normally got my information is not working right but thanks to a view. I do have a new address. It is the main reason this story is an AU story. I don't plan on following Cannon if you haven't noticed...lol. I do love the characters though and I try very hard to keep them true to form. For, if there is one thing I loved about the Harry Potter stories is the characters and the great wealth of them. So, any time I use the wrong name in a chapter please tell me. I do try to keep the characters as they are. I don't mean to change them. I hope this helps everyone understand why I pick the wrong character name now and then. Hey, I'm doing most of them by memory and trust me mine isn't the best. LOL...

Okay, I'll shut up. Enjoy the chapter...

Marti

PS... I forgot something... shame on me I know because this is very important to me. Thanks for the great reviews please keep them coming. Any comments are read and taken in good or bad. I do read them. I know I have missed a few now and then but I do try and comment back. Thank you for reading...

Also the screwy words were looked up by my Bata Nancy. Thank you for doing that for me. The list came in handy...

Chapter Seven

The next Sunday was the first Quidditch match of the season between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. The game was close, and it seemed it was going to go down to which Seeker caught the snitch. Harry was flying high in the sky looking for the snitch when a bludger flew past him almost taking his head off. He glared direction it came from to see Fred looking in his direction with a shocked look on his face. "Sorry, Harry," he called out. "I wasn't aiming for you. I lost control of it."

Harry nodded and was just going back to looking for the snitch when someone yelled, "Harry, look out!" Harry moved out of the way just seconds for the same bludger flew past him again, hitting the tip of his broom this time around.

The warning had come from Cedric Diggory. The older boy flew next to Harry and said, "That thing is out of control, I have never seen bludger act like that before."

"Thanks for the warning; I know what you mean about it acting strange. I wonder what's going on," Harry said.

"Who knows around here, let's just find the snitch and end the game," Cedric said. The boys went back to looking for the snitch.

The trouble was that the bludger just wouldn't leave Harry alone. The people in the stands were puzzled by the bludger's strange actions. They were now watching as Harry dove and ducked, watching more for the bludger than the snitch.

"I swear that bludger is trying to kill Harry," Susan said.

Luna sat beside Susan writing madly on a piece of paper. "It looks like the bludger is attracted to Temporary Rash Jet," Luna said.

"What?" Ginny asked puzzled, giving her friend a strange look.

"Oh, forget her," Erin said looking around for the bludger, trying to track its movements.

Hermione was watching someone else. She was looking in the direction of the teachers' bench, noticing the smug smile on Professor Dumbledore's face. "He did something!" she said coldly.

"Who?" Ron asked, watching game more then listening to what was going on around him.

"Professor Dumbledore, look at him. He is acting like he knows what's going to happen next."

"He rigged the game?" Ron asked.

"No, the bludger! He sent it to kill Harry," Erin said, giving Ron a dirty look. She couldn't believe Ron could be that dense sometimes.

In the stands by the teachers, Petunia was sitting with Remus and Sirius, watching as the bludger took after her nephew, and she wasn't happy about it. "What is going on with that thing?" she asked.

"I don't know, but it isn't normal," Remus said, looking in the direction of the Headmaster. The wolf inside him smelled something off, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

"I'm sure it is nothing," Snape said from his place sitting beside Lucius Malfoy and his wife. He had no idea why they were there, but since they were, he had to be careful about how he said things. He wasn't able to stay his true thoughts, which were that the bludger had been cursed. Severus glanced in the Headmaster's direction and noticed a calm look on his face. 'Did he do this?' Severus asked himself. 'No, he couldn't. He wants the boy to live? He needs the boy? Doesn't he?'

"You would say that," Sirius growled.

"Headmaster, stop this game," Petunia demanded.

"My dear, I'm sure nothing is wrong with the bludger. It is only part of the game," Albus said with a calm, pleased smile on his face.

Before Petunia could reply, Harry and Cedric both caught sight of the snitch at the same time. Harry had a choice and that was to either ignore bludger and go after the snitch, or lose the game. The competitor in Harry couldn't lose the game, so he went for it. He was hoping to outrun the bludger long enough to get the snitch.

Cedric realized it, too, and went after the snitch as well, trying hard to forget about the bludger but it was harder for him. He ended up looking back now and then to see where the bludger was. This ended up giving Harry the edge over Cedric, and just as he was about to wrap his fingers around the snitch. The bludger hit him right in the back of his head. He caught the snitch of course, but Cedric caught Harry. Cedric had seen the bludger hit Harry and knew the boy was hurt. He could either let him fall or catch him. Cedric did the honorable thing. He grabbed a hold of Harry just before he started to fall.

No one cared who caught snitch or who won the game at that moment. They were worried about Harry. They saw the bludger hit him right in the back of the head, so, they knew it couldn't be good. As Cedric landed, he found himself surrounded by a crowd of worried people. Harry looked up to see Petunia, Sirius and Remus along with Madam Pomfrey fighting to get through the crowd of kids.

It was Madam Pomfrey who reached Harry first. "Put him down," she ordered Cedric, quickly taking charge.

The nurse was working on Harry as Petunia and the surviving Marauders finally got through the crowd. "How is he?" Petunia asked.

"It isn't good. He was hit right in the back of the head. I need to get him to the infirmary," she said and she started levitating Harry from the ground.

It was at that moment they heard a whistling coming at them from above. The crowd looked up to see the bludger flying right at them. Albus Dumbledore raised his wand and blasted it to pieces. "That takes care of that," Albus said disgustedly.

Madam Pomfrey and Harry's family didn't bother with the Headmaster at that moment. They were too busy to worrying about Harry. Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall were watching him, and they noticed that after blowing up the bludger, Albus had moved to stand beside the Malfoy family. He was smiling the same cold, empty smile as Lucius was.

Severus was worried, and he started rub his left arm. The mark was burning. It was like the Dark Lord was around, but how could he be? This was Hogwarts. He couldn't be at school. Could he? The Potion Master looked at Headmaster and the Malfoys as he rubbed his arm. "No," he thought, shaking his head. "It is impossible. This is Albus Dumbledore; he wouldn't go over to the dark side." He refused to believe it. He did believe, though, that something was wrong with the Headmaster. "An illness, maybe?" Severus thought. "Yes, that was it. He is ill. It is effecting his decisions."


Harry woke up to find himself on the shore of the lake. He stood up and turned towards the castle. The castle he saw looked like Hogwarts, but it was different. It was larger than the Hogwarts he knew. It was also brighter. He didn't know why, but it was. As he looked around, he noticed that there were no house flags flying. There was only one flag, and it had three symbols on it. The one that was missing was Slytherin.

"Where am I?" Harry asked, speaking to no one, or that's what he thought.

A voice behind him caught Harry's attention, "You are at Hogwarts," a mischievous-sounding male voice said. Harry turned to see a man with thick black, graying hair and blue eyes standing there smiling. Harry had seen the man before. It was Godric Gryffindor, but he was bit younger than the man in the pictures. In fact, he looked a lot like Harry and his father. "Hello, Harry," Godric said as he walked over and joined the boy. "How do you like Hogwarts?"

"Is this Hogwarts?" Harry asked.

"Not the one you know, but yes it is. This is how Hogwarts should have looked; or rather, this was our dream," Godric said, looking at the castle with a sad expression on his face.

"Dream?" Harry asked.

"Come, it is time we talked," Godric said. Harry and the old wizard went for a walk around the lake. Godric filled his heir on things that were long forgotten.


It was late in the evening, and Petunia was the only one awake. She was sitting beside Harry's bed watching him sleep. Madam Pomfrey said that they were lucky. The bludger had hit Harry not on back of the head as it had looked, but on his right shoulder. It had knocked him out though, so he may have a concussion. The nurse thought the injury was minor, and that Harry should be fine in the morning. Harry was young and strong. He was going to be okay in the nurse's opinion.

Petunia wasn't going to rest though, until she saw Harry open his eyes. The guilt about how Harry was treated growing up started to surface again. If Petunia was honest with herself, and secretly she was, she didn't do right by Harry. She asked her sister for forgiveness every night before going to bed. It never helped take away the guilt she felt because nothing changed. The past never changed. It was how it was, and there was nothing Petunia could do about. So, the only thing she was left with was trying to make it better for the boy that was left in her care. She just hoped she still had a chance to do that.

As Petunia thought these thoughts, Harry started to groan and fought to roll over, but because of his injured shoulder, he was unable to move too much. Madam Pomfrey had made sure he couldn't move around by placing a medical binding spell on him.

Petunia leaned forward and said in a low and loving voice, "Easy, Harry. It's okay. You're safe."

Harry opened his eyes and asked, "Where am I?"

"In the infirmary," Petunia said realizing the boy didn't have his glasses on. Harry was could not see two feet in front of without them. She helped slip them on him, giving Harry a view of the room around him.

"At least tell me we won?" Harry asked hopefully. He had a hunch that the bludger had caught up with him.

Petunia shook her head and said, "You have your mother's heart but your father's love of that dumb game. Yes, you won."

"Good," Harry said yawning starting to drift off to sleep again. He wondered as he closed his eyes, 'Will I dream of that strange man again?' This was the last thought Harry had just before he drifted off to sleep again.

"Good night, Harry," Petunia said bending low and giving her nephew a kiss on the forehead. She noticed two smiling men sitting on beds across from them. Sirius and Remus had been listening. The adults could sleep though the rest of the night, for they knew that Harry was safe.

Sirius stood up, changed into Padfoot, jumped onto Harry's bed, and curled up into a ball before drifting off to sleep. Remus went back to sleep on the bed he was resting on, pulling the old woolen cover over his shoulders. Petunia just smiled at them and took the other bed. She would get some sleep tonight, but in the morning she would leave. She had things to do. The reconstruction of the Wizengamot was coming up and the work she had to do before it happened wasn't going to go away.


The next morning, Harry's friends came to see him. Petunia had stayed just long enough to talk to Dudley about his father. She told him that Vernon was out of the hospital and in the care of his sister, but that was all she knew, as they weren't talking to Petunia. She had tried, but sadly nothing worked.

If he wanted to write Vernon a letter, he should and send it to her. She would make sure that Vernon received it. Dudley nodded in understanding and realized that his father's problem was exactly that, his own problem. It had nothing to do with Dudley. As for writing a letter, Dudley didn't think it would do any good; Vernon wouldn't read it, so why bother.

Petunia and Remus left then, but they did leave a massive, black dog behind. Sirius was worried. He knew something was wrong, but he didn't know what. He wasn't going leave Hogwarts until found out what it was, so he was using Padfoot as a perfect disguise. He hadn't had time to tell Harry or his friends about his Dog form, so they didn't know it was him. They would talk openly around him, giving Sirius an idea of what the kids knew or didn't know about what was going on in the school.

"Hi, guys," Harry said smiling, sitting up in bed and petting Padfoot's head.

"Hi," The Gang said.

"Man, you really know how to catch a snitch," Ron said, dropping down on the bed beside his friend.

"Yeah, but Diggory was the one that caught the seeker," Fred laughed, eyeing the black dog on Harry's bed. He couldn't help but wonder where he came from and why did he look so familiar.

"I don't care. I'm just glad you're safe. You could have died," Hermione cried while giving Harry a hug.

"I didn't, though; and I'm fine," Harry said, blushing as he tried to pull free from Hermione's grasp.

"Well, I know who was behind your attack. It was the headmaster. He was acting funny during and after the game. I know he was behind it," Ginny said, sitting down on the bed on the other side of Harry and opposite of Ron.

"Well, he didn't do anything to me. I'm fine," Harry said, and he settled down in his bed. He was tired and his arm still hurt just a bit, so he figured while he didn't have to go to class he would get some sleep. Harry's friends took the hint and started to leave. They had classes anyway, so they would come in and check on Harry later.

Fred and George were the last to leave. The boys gave the black dog on Harry's bed a long hard look before closing the door and leaving. As they did, they pulled out a beat up parchment from their packs to look at it.

When Harry woke up from his nap, he noticed a piece of parchment that Luna had left. He was puzzled at what he saw, and it took him most of the day to figure out this was just a taste of what she had written down…

Harry James Potter….. Atmosphere tray jr, Atmosphere jar try, Atmosphere raj try, Atmosphere try jr a, Temporary set ah jr, Temporary set ha jr, Temporary she at jr, Temporary tea jr sh, Temporary the as jr, Amethyst o'er apr jr, Amethyst o'er jar pr, Amethyst o'er par jr, Amethyst o'er raj pr

Ronald Bilius Weasley…. Delusionary lewis lab, Delusionary libel saw, Delusionary libel was, Delusionary swell bia, Delusionary we'll bias, Illusionary blade sew, Illusionary blade wes, Illusionary bleed saw, Illusionary bleed was

Ginevera Molly Weasley … Mineralogy valley ew s, Mineralogy weasel levy, Generally levi's amy owe, Generally levi's amy woe, Generally levi's aye mow, Generally levi's may owe

"What do you think, Padfoot? Do you think Luna has lost it?" Harry asked the dog showing him the writing.

Padfoot snorted and nodded his head in agreement. The dog went back to sleep at the foot of the bed. Harry had realized what she had done, and since he was board, he started to make his own list of names from the names of people he knew. He did about a page full when he wrote down Tom Riddle's full name. He didn't know why, but he did it. He had several down when he came up with these words: I am Lord Voldemort.

Harry's heart was racing. He was hoping he was wrong; and tired it several more times, but he always came up with the same thing. It was then that Harry remembered his dream. He had thought it was a dream, and now Harry wasn't so sure. If it wasn't, then he understood why Voldemort had gone after his family and why he lived.

Harry looked around the room and noticed Madam Pomfrey hadn't returned yet, so he decided it was time for him to leave. He needed to check his mother's diary for answers, and that was in his dorm room.

Harry quickly changed and left before the nurse returned. He knew he would hear it from her later, but then again, he did the same thing before. She should have realized he would do it again once he was feeling better.

Harry left for his dorm room leaving a sleeping dog behind.


Harry's friends were worried about him when they realized that Harry had left the Infirmary without telling anyone, and they were worried that the Headmaster might have done something to him. They were happy when they finally found Harry sitting on his bed, but as they neared they noticed he had been crying.

It was Ginny who made the first move. She sat down on the bed beside him and asked, "Harry, are you okay?"

Harry looked up at her and said, "She gave up her magic to protect me."

"What?" Ron asked confused.

Harry looked at the diary and said, "I wish they could see what she wrote." He then handed the diary to Hermione and the others. They sat on the bed, and everyone gathered around Hermione to read. They were all stunned by what they read.

Dear Diary,

I'm sitting in my mother's garden enjoying the roses. James and I are living at my family's home for now. It is in London close to his work and the hospital. I'm due shortly. We are still fighting over a name. We know the baby is going to be a boy. I want to name him after my father Harry, but James wants his son named after him. I think I finally wore him down. He said this morning that he would be happy if Harry had father's first name and James would be the baby's middle name. I like it. Harry James Potter!

This alone should be making me happy, but thanks to the Headmaster, I'm not. He stopped by today to talk to me. He wanted talk to both James and me, but James was at work. I didn't know when he was going to be home, so I talked the Headmaster into telling me the problem.

We were in my mother's sitting room. I knew Rowena was listening. She usually does when people visit. She doesn't show herself. She never has. I always wondered if the Headmaster knew about her and the others. I don't think so. I think he doesn't know they are around.

The reason he was here was to tell me of a prophecy that he overheard. I won't bother writing it all down, for he was only half-right. Rowena and I already knew this. She had shown me another prophecy a long time ago. This one has been passed down through Hogwarts heirs for Generations. This one I knew is true. I feared it even as a child because I knew the time was coming. Now that my parents are dead and James parents are gone, we both know it is getting closer to time. The time the Heirs would fight for control of Hogwarts.

It doesn't help that Vernon caused the early birth of Petunia's son. Oh, that man. I want to curse him until the end of time. I know it is not kind of me to think this, but he isn't human. I keep trying to talk her into leaving him, but Petunia is Petunia. She can be so stubborn, that one; and everyone tells me that I am because of the color of my hair. They don't know my sister. I know why she married him, and I know why she is staying with him. But sometimes, I wish she wouldn't think she had to stay. Oh, well. I might talk her out of it one day.

Okay, I am rambling I know, but I do that when I'm nervous. You have to forgive me. The doctors told Petunia that she can't have another child. They were Muggle doctors, but when she went St. Mungo's to double check, she was told the same thing. He hurt her that badly. She is lucky that Dudley survived. The boy looks a lot like his father to me, but Petunia didn't want to hear it even if it is the truth. The only difference that I see in the boy is that he has his mother's hair color, not his fathers.

So, with me having a boy and Petunia having one, then there is only more to go. I asked Alice a few days ago if she knew and she said yes. It is boy. She is happy, and I didn't want to destroy that happiness by telling what I know, just in case Frank hadn't told her.

The heirs will fight for Hogwarts. It will be three against one. Slytherin had made sure that his last heir would never die unless he dies on Hogwarts grounds by the hands of Godric's heir. Harry! Don't think about it … your son won't do it alone. The others had made sure of it. They made sure that it would be a joint fight. This was to join Hogwarts together, not pull her apart the way Slytherin tried to do. No, when they win, the school will become one, and Slytherin's bloodline will be no more…

The kids looked up at Harry, shocked. "I don't believe this," Susan said.

"It gets worse. Read…" Harry said.

"How could it get worse?" Erin asked.

"Keep reading," Harry told them.

The kids didn't argue with him. They just started to read again. It was almost year after Harry's birth that things got interesting.

Dear Diary,

I found the answer. It is risky, but it will work. I talked to Alice and Petunia about it. We all three agree for our sons' sake that we will do it. James and Frank, of course, are worried. We are at war after all, but I know he is coming.

I see him at night in my dreams. He is coming after my son, and I have to stop him. It doesn't matter if I loose my magic or my life. It only matters that Harry's lives. I told James this, and he told me that I'm being emotional. I ignore him of course because I see the fear in his eyes; I think he knows it, too. He tries to tell Sirius and Remus this, but they don't listen. I think it is their way of dealing with the situation. If they joke about it then it won't happen. The trouble is, it's going to happen. I know it. I feel it.

James isn't as close to Peter as he is to the other two, so he wouldn't dream of telling him of his fears. I don't blame him. Harry hates Peter. I know hate is a harsh word, but there is no other word for it. Harry won't leave my arms when Peter is around. He is not like that around Remus or Sirius. You would think Remus could cause a bit fear from the boy but not my Harry. I think he smells the chocolate that Remus always has on him. I know I do. The man is addicted. I swear it.

As for what I want to do like I told James, it doesn't matter. I'm willing to give up my powers for ten years. It will be worth it. My son will be safe; Godric will make sure of it. I'll bind Godric's ghost to Harry. Petunia will do same with Dudley and Rowena. Alice will have Helga bound to Neville. The boys will be safe. It will be worth my magic. It is only ten years….

Harry is pacing the floor of his dorm room. "She faced him without any magic. She knew she couldn't fight him. She didn't run," Harry cried. Harry knew it was weak for a boy to cry, at least that is what Uncle Vernon always told him, but that is what he felt like doing at the moment. He didn't know anyone with more guts than his mother. She had given up her magic to make sure that he survived a dark wizard like Voldemort, and to Harry that was brave.

Neville was crying too, for if Harry's mother gave up her magic, he knew his had done the same thing. She had faced people like Bella and her husband without magic and without a way fight back. She had done it to save him.

The girls in the room gave the boys motherly hugs and said, "It is okay to cry. I'm sure anyone would cry if they lost their mother."

"I know I would," Dudley admitted sheepishly. He knew his father would think him weak for saying it, but he didn't care. He would cry if or when he lost his mother. She was a very special person to him, and he knew that she would always be.

"Me too," Ron said.

"Same for us," Fred and George replied.

"Same here," Colin said sniffling.

Harry laughed, sniffling a bit, "Well, at least I know I'm not alone," Harry said.

"And don't worry mate, we won't tell anyone," Ron promised.

"Yes, it's our secret," Dudley said.

Harry dried his eyes, and they read more of the diary. Lily had written everything down about how and when they did it. She also explained how the connections between the ghosts and the boys would work. Harry knew the voice in his head was Godric. He was Harry's guide and protector. He was the one that kept Harry from giving up when his uncle was at his worst.

Harry finally understood why his aunt didn't leave his uncle. Harry remembered that Professor Dumbledore had told his aunt that the blood protection would not transfer to another house. Petunia couldn't protect herself or him and his cousin. She had no magic. So, she had stayed with her abusive husband because of it. She only left after her ten years. She had just gotten her magic back. It was because of this that she didn't do spells that much. She was more then rusty. It was more like she was starting over from scratch. Harry realized that there was more to his aunt than he ever thought before.