Take It Back

By Voltora

~ Dedicated to my brother David, a constant source of irritation and inspiration. ~

Authors Notes

This is a sequel to my first fic Tell No Lies, but it is not necessary to read that first. A brief overview of what happened in Tell No Lies is included in chapter one for the benefit of those who have not read it.

I have written the entire fic prior to posting so there will be regular updates on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Disclaimer

Harry Potter is the divine property of the literary goddess; Joanne Kathleen Rowling. *Bows before the shrine with offerings of Chocolate Frogs* I am merely borrowing her wonderful creations for a short while and am obliged to give them back when I am finished.

Any characters and places that you, as the reader, do not recognise from the books, are products of my own creation unless otherwise stated. Please ask if you wish to use them in your own fics.

Any similarities between this fic and any other that has been posted before 24th September 02 is simply coincidental and non-intentional.

Summary

A Death Eater is sent back into the past. His mission; assassination. His target; no one knows. Can Harry stop him from altering the past … or succumb to the deadly temptation to do the same?

Timeline; (Following on from Tell No Lies) The summer following Harry's fifth year.

Chapter One; Summons

Dark shadows filled his vision. Only a few dim pinpricks of flickering candle light prevented the man from fumbling blindly down the long, narrow corridor. A thin bar of light guided him to the door.

His night vision, having adjusted to the gloom, caught the vague outlines of two guards standing on either side of the door. The towering figures blended so perfectly with the shadows that anyone who had not already detected their presence would have been caught unawares by the scythe blades that abruptly fell across the door, clashing loudly, shining with an unnatural light.

The man calmly stated his name and business as ordered. In one fluid motion the guards withdrew, the door swinging slowly open with an ominous creak. The watery light within stopped at the doorway, unable to penetrate the magically thickened darkness.

Silent as the shadows, the man glided into the chamber.

Flambeaus alight with deep orange flames did little to warm the ice-like atmosphere of the elegant chamber. The marble floor gleamed as red as a sea of blood, trapped motionless in frozen waves. The walls were covered with black drapes and the ceiling lost in darkness. A grand fireplace dominated the room, the fire crackling loudly.

A tall, skeletal man, draped in a long, flowing black cloak, stood before the fire, gazing deep into the dancing flames. He did not turn to acknowledge the man's entrance, now waiting patiently, and at a respectable distance.

'Seth Corbeau,' The voice seemed to chill the room further. 'You know the reason I demand your presence.'

The other man nodded.

'Yes, my Lord.'

'Then you accept the assignment.'

'I will not fail you, my Lord,' Corbeau stated confidently. 'I have yet to miss a single target,'

'See that you do not.' Voldemort turned, his black cloak swirling, his scarlet eyes reflecting the blazing firelight. 'I want him eliminated. I will not tolerate failure.'

Corbeau squared his shoulders.

'I can assure you, my Lord, the target is as good as dead. I have been thorough in my research of his haunts, habits and acquaintances. It will be quite simple to get close enough to dispose of him.'

Voldemort smiled, a cruel lip-less smile.

'How long before you are able to complete your mission?'

'The preparations are already underway,' said Corbeau swiftly. 'So it should take,' he chuckled, 'no time at all.'

*

Knock knock.

'Harry? Harry, are you awake yet?'

With a sleepy grunt, fifteen-year-old Harry Potter fought his way out from under the bed covers, reaching out a hand to his bedside table, fumbling for his glasses.

'Harry?'

The bedroom door opened a crack.

'I'm up,' Harry yawned, kicking back the covers reluctantly.

His godfather, Sirius Black, poked his grinning face round the door.

'Come on, sleepyhead, you can't stay in bed all day.'

'I can try,' said Harry, protesting only mildly as he adjusted his glasses.

Sirius crossed the room, waving his wand at the window drapes which flew apart. Bright, early morning sunshine flooded the room in an instant. Screwing his eyes shut, Harry seized the covers and, pulling them up over his head, rolled over and buried his face in the pillows. The bed was just so soft and comfortable. Harry was very tempted to sleep through the entire summer. He breathed a sigh of content.

Next thing he knew, the covers had been jerked suddenly off of his head.

'Oi!'

Harry sat up, trying to snatch them back. At the foot of the bed, a large, shaggy black dog with pale eyes had the edge of the covers in its mouth. Tail wagging, the dog gave them another sharp tug. Harry grabbed hold and yanked hard but to no avail. The dog braced its legs and pulled back. After a few seconds of tug-o-war, Harry grinned mischievously and let go.

The dog lurched backwards, the covers flying off the bed and over his head. Harry fell back against the mound of pillows sniggering as the dog struggled to extract its four paws from the tangle of sheets and then leapt up onto the bed beside him. Next moment, Sirius was lying next to him, smiling broadly.

'Now you have to get up.'

Harry shook his head.

'You cheated.'

'Hey, that wasn't cheating!' Sirius protested. 'This is cheating.'

Harry burst out laughing as Sirius dived in, tickling mercilessly. Grabbing him around the middle, Sirius hoisted his godson off the bed, slung him over his shoulder fireman style, and marched out of the bedroom, Harry laughing all the way.

'Sirius, put me down!'

'What? Here? Okay!'

Harry yelped as Sirius leaned casually backwards over the landing banister. The hallway below looked a very long way down.

'No! No! Don't put me down!'

Sirius heaved an exaggerated sigh.

'Make up your mind!'

'Padfoot, are you going to stop teasing the poor boy long enough to have some breakfast?'

Remus Lupin was standing in the doorway of the kitchen below, arms folded, looking up at them, his blue-grey eyes sparkling with amusement.

'Morning Moony!' Sirius called, swinging Harry around, away from the banister.

'Morning. Would you like boiled or scrambled eggs, Harry?'

'Scrambled please.' Harry called back as his godfather set him back on his feet.

The irresistible smell of sizzling bacon wafted out of the small kitchen, drawing Harry and Sirius in like a Summoning Spell had been integrated into the aroma. While Remus was busy turning over the bacon, Harry set the table and Sirius put the kettle on.

Harry paused by the window, looking out at the open fields that backed onto the house. A small stable stood off to one side and beyond it lay dense woodland with a bubbling stream running along the edge.

Harry still couldn't believe it, even after a fortnight of being here, that he could actually call it home.

A month before the end of his fifth year, Lord Voldemort had launched an attack on Hogwarts. Harry had faced off with the Dark Lord and had almost defeated him. However, Voldemort had escaped after being severely wounded.

While Harry and Sirius had been fighting for their lives, Harry's best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, along with Remus in his werewolf form, had managed to capture Peter Pettigrew. Once the battle was over, they'd sprung the good news on Harry and Sirius.

After the Ministry had been informed, the news had flashed up and down the country at lightning speed. The Daily Prophet had talked of nothing else.

'The Secret Keeper Switch!'

'Peter Pettigrew Found Alive!'

'Azkaban Escapee Was Framed!'

The story of Hogwarts coming under siege had woken the entire magical community to accept the reality of the Dark Lords return, and Sirius' case had flown through the courts with the eyes of every witch and wizard in the country on it.

'Sirius Black Declared Innocent!'

Sirius had walked free and back into Harry's life as his legal guardian. As soon as the school term was over, Harry was met at Kings Cross by his godfather and whisked away to his new home.

The large country house was hidden away from Muggle towns and covered with Muggle-Repelling Charms. There were also dozens of protective wards and barrier spells over the entire area. Even if the Dark Lord himself were in no fit state to carry out an attack, he would not hesitate to send each and every last one of his Death Eaters if they ever discovered the whereabouts of the Boy-Who-Lived.

Only a select few knew of Harry's new location. Indeed, Harry himself, wasn't entirely sure where in the country he was right now, but it didn't bother him much. He was no longer with the Dursley's in Privet Drive and he was living with Sirius from now on; that was all he needed to know.

Although there still was the risk of the Dark Lords supporters finding Harry, the only way to enter the property safely was by direct invitation from any two of the three residents.

Remus had moved in with them shortly after Sirius' innocence had been officially declared. He had declined the offer at first; insisting that he didn't want to intrude but Sirius had been very persistent and persuasive. In the end it was proved that arguing with Sirius was as productive as trying to fly without a broomstick; you just weren't going to get anywhere. Harry was delighted and the three of them had quickly settled in together.

They were halfway through breakfast (bacon, eggs, toast and baked beans) when a small flock of owls came soaring in through the open window, dropping a number of letters, scrolls and a copy of the Daily Prophet onto the table and flying out again like a well trained squadron.

Spying one addressed to him, Harry picked up a thick parchment envelope stamped with the Hogwarts seal.

Taking a deep breath, Harry slit it open with his butter knife.

Dear Mr Potter,

With regards to your recent examinations we enclose your Ordinary Wizarding Level results.

Professor M. McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress.

Hands shaking slightly, Harry slowly unfolded the enclosed parchment. Remus and Sirius had both stopped eating, having recognised the official envelope, watching in silence. Wide eyes darting over page, Harry's mouth fell open.

Sirius and Remus exchanged a quick look.

'How did you do?' Sirius asked Harry tentatively.

Wordlessly, Harry passed him his results. Sirius took one look and almost choked on his coffee.

'Harry - wow - this is brilliant!' He beamed at Harry who went a little red, grinning happily. 'Twelve O.W.L.s, how about that, Moony?'

'Very impressive, Harry,' said Remus. 'Well done!'

'Thanks,' said Harry. 'But I still don't think we should have been made to do them right after what happened with Voldemort and everything. I could hardly concentrate.'

'Well, they're still very impressive results,' said Sirius, passing them back. 'We ought to do something to celebrate. How d'you fancy having some friends over? I'll bet they'll want to celebrate their results as well.'

Harry perked up. 'Really? All of them? But what about us being in hiding?'

'I'm sure Dumbledore won't mind if we bend the rules just a little,' he said, grinning slyly. 'So what do you say? Big party… Quidditch match out in the field…'

'Hang on a minute, you two,' Remus was looking out of the window. 'We may have to put that thought on hold for a bit.'

'Aw, why?' Sirius looked rather disappointed.

The answer to that flew into the kitchen in a flurry of red and gold feathers. The phoenix fluttered down onto the table, its beady black eyes darting between Sirius and Remus. It warbled a few urgent notes of phoenix song and lifted a wing to reveal the package it was carrying.

Remus quickly relieved the bird of its load. Harry reached up and stroked the swan-like birds' slender neck. The phoenix settled down, folding its wings comfortably. Remus extracted a letter from the package and opened it, reading aloud.

To all members of the Order,

Your presence is requested immediately at the Hall of Light for an emergency meeting.

The package you have just received contains a Portkey. At nine a.m. precisely it will activate and bring you directly to the Hall.

With regards

Albus Dumbledore

'What's going on? What's happened?' asked Harry anxiously.

'We'll find out when we get there,' said Sirius. He stood up and checked his watch. 'Right, we've got half an hour. Harry, soon as you've finished eating go upstairs and get ready to go. Remus -'

'I'll check the wards,' Remus said promptly, taking his wand out of his belt.

'I'd better go and let Buckbeak and Trold out into the paddock before we leave. They're probably kicking the stable door down.' Sirius muttered, heading out the back door.

Buckbeak was a grey Hippogriff that had aided Sirius' escape from Hogwarts and the Dementors a few years ago. The animal had become extremely tame towards Sirius, so much so that the customary bow to gain a Hippogriffs approval could be disregarded.

Trold, on the other hand, was a handsome chestnut winged horse whom Remus had taken on a few months ago. He was very temperamental and so far would only allow Remus to ride him.

Harry wolfed down the rest of his bacon, eggs and toast and hurried back upstairs to change out of his pyjamas, wondering what the big emergency was.

As a newly initiated member of the Order of the Phoenix, Harry still had a lot to learn about how they operated. He was aware that Professor Dumbledore, who was in effect their leader, had many spies and contacts keeping their eyes and ears open for any sign of Dark Activity.

Sirius and Remus had been members of the Order since Voldemorts first rise to power and had resumed their active duties now that he was back.

Their main task right now was ensuring Harry's safety. Harry was strictly forbidden to leave the property by himself, which meant he was rather cut off from his friends. They'd been keeping in touch by owl-post but it just wasn't the same as visiting the Burrow and seeing them all again.

But since Ron and Hermione had also been initiated into the Order, Harry could hardly wait to get to the meeting to be able to see them. Along with Ron's little sister Ginny, his elder twin brothers Fred and George and a number of their fellow Gryffindors, they would be the youngest members at the meeting.

Pulling on jeans and a T-shirt, Harry tried to run a comb through his hair without success. Jet-black and completely untameable, it insisted on sticking up in all directions as normal. Harry rummaged through his wardrobe and pulled out his official Phoenix robes. Fiery reds and golds shimmered over the soft material like it was on fire. A small emblem of a phoenix rising from the flames was displayed on the chest.

Harry stood for a minute in front of the full-length mirror beside the wardrobe, wondering what his parents would think of him if they could see him. His gaze drifted to a number of photos on wall. His mother and father waved at him, smiling happily. Harry smiled sadly back, then looked round for his shoes.

'Harry, come on! Two minutes!' Sirius shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

'Okay, I'm coming!'

Harry shoved his feet into his shoes and hastened out of the room, taking the stairs two at a time.

Sirius and Remus were in the kitchen, both in their Phoenix robes. The messenger phoenix sat perched on Remus' shoulder. Sirius opened up the package and pulled out a bright yellow rubber glove.

'All right, everyone hold on,'

Sirius held out the glove. Remus and Harry both took hold of a finger, all eyes on the kitchen clock, counting down the seconds.

The moment the clock struck nine, the Portkey was activated and they disappeared.

*

To Be Continued

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Please review. All comments and constructive criticism are appreciated.

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