A/N: Hey, everybody! This marks my first foray into the Harry Potter fandom.
Reviews and PMs are welcome.
Thanks to KatrinaDelacour, Lui Sloth, and TheDiamondEnch from the Flowerpot Discord for their valuable suggestions. This chapter would not have been possible without them.
My Dumbledore is OOC. I feel that the vanquisher of Grindelwald should have played a more active role. We never saw Dumbledore in combat. That changes here. His faults will also be addressed.
Sirius has built a manor with the gold he received from his uncle Alphard Black.
Prologue:"Happy Birthday, Harry!" exclaimed Lily Potter, as she set a black treacle cake on the table in front of a giggling Harry. James Potter quickly set a timer on the wizarding camera and hurried back to the cake.
"Make a wish, Harry," whispered James.
No sooner had Harry blown out the candle, than the camera flashed.
James swooped up Harry in his arms, and placed him on his head as he ran around the room.
"Up, up!" yelled Harry, as he pointed at the toy broomstick Uncle Padfoot had gifted him.
"You can have fun on your broomstick after we eat cake," said Lily, as Harry pouted.
"That look might work with your father, Harry. Not with me. You and I have the same eyes," said a laughing Lily, as James rolled his eyes.
After cake and a few rounds of Harry flying on his toy broomstick, the family settled on the futon as they watched children go trick-or-treating.
"I would have loved for Harry to go trick-or-treating," remarked Lily sadly.
"I know. Don't worry, Lily. We can always go next year," supplied James.
With the constant threat of Voldemort, it could be weeks or even months before things were back to normal. Not to mention that the Fidelius charm ensured that nobody but the Order of The Phoenix and Dumbledore knew where they resided.
None of them voiced the thought as they savoured the moment, soft moonlight streaming through the windows.
If only this moment would last.
A dark, stunted shadow loomed out of the darkness, casting itself on the inviting futon. It was only fitting to the owner of this shadow, who was of very stunted character himself.
As James looked closer, he could see the glinting blood-red, malevolent eyes and cruel smile that made the figure look much more animalistic than human.
His heart sank.
It was Lord Voldemort.
He sent a quick patronus to Dumbledore.
"Lily, take Harry and run. He's here," stated James.
"I love you, James, for now and forever," replied Lily, as she scooped up Harry in her arms and ran to the nursery.
"See you on the other side," finished James.
He positioned himself at the right distance to engage Voldemort, while also erecting a shield charm that would deflect the splinters of wood.
No sooner had the door exploded, than Voldemort started firing spells at his adversary.
Flashes of green illuminated the room, as he was quickly forced on the defensive. His training with Dumbledore and talent for transfiguration saved his life, as he raised walls and transfigured objects nearby to deflect the killing curses.
He had the smallest of windows to return the spellfire, which Voldemort quickly batted away. He knew he was overpowered.
He still had a few tricks up his sleeve. He wasn't a Marauder for nothing.
As he baited Voldemort to step forward, he heard the trick step activate.
The Dark Lord was thrown to the far end of the cottage, as darkness filled the cottage and fine powder clouded his vision.
Voldemort quickly improvised, however, by containing the powder in a vertex and sending it toward his opponent.
James cursed the brilliancy of the Dark Lord, while quickly erecting a shield charm followed by a cooling charm to freeze the particles of the powder.
Voldemort raised his eyes, impressed.
"It's a shame you didn't accept the offer to join us. You could have been in my Inner Circle, right alongside Bellatrix and Snape. The offer still stands. Leave your wife and child, and you shall have power beyond your wildest dreams," stated Voldemort, as though a discussion of dinner choices was taking place.
"For all of your Legilimency, it's a shame you still couldn't see that the answer is no, Riddle. It will never be anything but that," replied James, a smirk plastered on his face.
"You dare call me by my filthy Muggle father's name?" spat The Dark Lord, now angered beyond measure.
"That's another thing, Riddle. You may be sprouting all of this pureblood mania, but how would your esteemed followers feel if they knew you were a lowly half blood?" mocked James, the grin on his face never fading.
As Voldemort seethed, James quickly glanced at the nursery, hoping to catch a glimpse of Lily and Harry.
It was this moment of distraction that Voldemort capitalised on.
"Crucio!" said Voldemort, as James fell to the ground, twitching.
"Not so smug now, are you, Potter?" mocked Voldemort.
He finally cracked, as his screams echoed around the house.
"Beg. Beg me for mercy, and I might let you live," whispered Riddle.
"That won't be necessary, Tom," resonated Dumbledore's voice, as Riddle turned to face the newcomer.
"Dumbledore," breathed Voldemort, as fear flashed across his eyes.
There was no smile on Dumbledore's face. His eyes didn't twinkle. They only glowed with pure hatred.
Dumbledore deftly levitated the prone James to the nursery and sealed the door.
Voldemort quickly recovered and sneered at his former Transfiguration teacher.
"The old man has come to save the day again, it seems. What will you do? Spout wisdom and ask me to reconsider my actions?" mocked Tom.
"You are too far gone for forgiveness, Tom. It is time for a little duel," stated Dumbledore.
As Voldemort quickly sent Fiendfyre, Dumbledore apparated and sent gusts of powerful wind throughout the cottage, quickly quelling the flames.
Voldemort's killing curses were quickly and effortlessly deflected as Dumbledore effortlessly raised walls of Earth and sent stunners and diffindos, in contrast to Voldemort's bone breaking hexes and torture curses.
For a while, it seemed that neither of them were gaining the upper hand.
Dumbledore, however, quickly progressed from lighter spells to much darker ones, forcing Voldemort on the retreat.
"What would your precious admirers say when they see the saviour of the Wizarding World using dark curses?" jeered Voldemort.
"I'll admit that I was going easy on you, Tom. It's been a while since I have enjoyed a proper duel. Now, I'm truly ready, " finished Dumbledore, as his eyes were glowing with an intensity Voldemort had never seen.
Voldemort's eyes widened.
"That's right, Tom. I aim to kill," said Dumbledore, with a cruel smile.
They continued exchanging spellfire, with Dumbledore getting in some good hits.
Voldemort was steadily getting exhausted. He knew it, and so did Dumbledore. A lesser opponent would have been defeated, but Dumbledore could not be.
Tom hissed for Nagini to arrive. If he could not finish Dumbledore, he was going to let his snake distract Dumbledore and quickly escape.
As Nagini slithered into the nursery, Dumbledore quickly let forth a burst of his magic in the form of a powerful shockwave which left Voldemort and Nagini on the floor.
Dumbledore utilised this opportunity to phoenix call Fawkes, who caught a hissing Nagini in his beak and flew away. Though he may not be able to kill the snake, he could render it temporarily useless.
Dumbledore suspected there was something unusual about that snake. He would have to look into that.
Voldemort increased the intensity of his spells, desperately trying to bring down his adversary.
Dumbledore, meanwhile, truly showed Voldemort why he was the vanquisher of Grindelwald as it was Dumbledore who was now being generous with his killing curses. Voldemort found that he was only barely able to dodge, and despite himself, admired his former teacher's skill.
Voldemort found himself quickly forced into a corner. He quickly tried to fly away, but found that he could not escape the confines of this cottage.
Dumbledore deftly used this opportunity to stun a flying Voldemort and summon his wand, which Dumbledore quickly snapped.
As Voldemort fell to the floor, he weakly raised his head and looked Dumbledore in the eye.
"Did you really think I would allow you to slip out?" questioned Dumbledore.
"It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom. The moment you stepped through that door, you should have known you weren't going to leave," declared Dumbledore in an eerily calm voice, to a petrified Voldemort.
Dumbledore quickly disillusioned the area, and cast the Muffliato charm.
"If you think this will stop me, it won't. I will be back. I will kill you and put your head on a post for all of the Wizarding World to see," growled Voldemort.
"That is quite the monologue for one who is disarmed and on the floor, Tom. Though, I must admit that I have been dying to give you a taste of your own medicine," finished Dumbledore, sending chills down Voldemort's spine.
"What do you—?" yelped Voldemort.
"Forgive me, Ariana," thought Dumbledore.
"Crucio!" whispered Dumbledore, as Voldemort twitched and screamed. It was an unearthly and haunting scream.
Voldemort neither knew nor cared about forgiveness or love. The only way through him was fear.
Tears trickled down Dumbledore's face, but he pressed on.
As Tom lay screaming on the floor, Dumbledore sent the most powerful Legilimency probe he had ever performed.
He cruelly pushed the spell to its limits, tearing relentlessly through Tom's shields and memories, destroying his mental structures.
When this ended, the infamous Dark Lord would be no more than a soulless husk.
"No, Professor," said Lily.
Dumbledore realised that Lily and James had dismantled the disillusion and Muffliato charm.
"We don't have to stoop to their level," supplied James.
"You don't seem to understand, James. Only mortal fear can deter Voldemort. He knows no love. He has no remorse," said Dumbledore.
"I sacrificed many innocent lives when Grindelwald was large by not seeking him out earlier. It is only fair that I save as many lives as I can now," finished Dumbledore, as his tears subsided.
Dumbledore quickly used the severing charm to slice Voldemort's head from his body, taking a moment to close his eyes and calm the raging inferno of emotions inside himself.
A dog Patronus quickly came bounding into the room, as Sirius's voice spoke frantically.
"I just visited Peter's house. There is no sign of a struggle or Peter. I am coming right now," finished Sirius.
The implication was obvious.
James refused to believe that Peter had betrayed them.
It must have been a misunderstanding. Voldemort's followers must have apparated Peter elsewhere to not rouse suspicion.
Even as he evaluated these thoughts in his mind, he had a sinking feeling that he was in the wrong. Voldemort and his followers were famous for toying with their victims in their victims' houses itself, as a way of informing them that even the very places they lived in were not safe anymore.
Sirius quickly ran through the door, wand in hand, and stopped at the sight of James, Lily and Harry alive.
He embraced James, relieved to see all of them safe and unharmed.
Unlike James, Sirius had no reservations about suspecting Peter.
"That rat! He always stuck around with the most powerful people on the Quidditch field. At Hogwarts, that was us. Now, he seems to think that the Death Eaters would win the war. I'd like to strangle him with my bare hands!" seethed Sirius.
"Do not go after Peter, Sirius. He is unaware of the Dark Lord's whereabouts. Although he is magnificently talented at saving his own hide, he will show himself when he believes he is safe, and that's where we must catch him. There is very little we can do if he prowls around with his Animagus form." hissed Lily.
"Very aptly said, Lily. I will make sure my contacts and I keep a close watch on him," exclaimed Dumbledore, with the beginnings of a smile.
"Now, please excuse me. I must pop over to Longbottom Manor to check in with the Longbottoms. A very happy birthday, Harry!" finished Dumbledore, as he apparated.
"Why don't the three of you stay with us at Black Manor, for a while?" asked Sirius.
"What do you say, Lily?" asked James.
"I'd love to. I don't think I'd want to stay at Godric's Hollow anymore. Not with all the reminders of Voldemort," answered Lily.
All of you are more than welcome to stay with Sirius and I. There is enough room. With the threat of Voldemort, the world is grey and dreary, and we'd like some cheery company. We won't take no for an answer," started Remus.
"Pa' foo!" yelled Harry, in delight.
"What do you say, Harry? Want to pop over to Black Manor and ride your toy broomstick?" asked Sirius as he held Harry in his arms.
"Up, up," voiced Harry, as he lifted his hands.
A short while later, the group of five apparated to Black Manor in high spirits.
It seemed that life would finally be back to normal.