Harry Potter from the view of Albus Dumbledore
Prologue
October 31, 1981
The feast is going well, as usual, thought Albus Dumbledore as he watched the students sitting at the tables before him. This was a time when he could just sit back and relax from the stress that had been dragging him down for the past several months. He hoped that his two best students, Lily and James Potter, were settling down into their home as best they could.
He glanced down the table at his Potions master. Severus Snape's head was bowed over his food and lately he had not been meeting anybody's eyes. Only a few months before, Severus had come to him with the news that Lily and James Potter had been singled out by Lord Voldemort as a target for destruction.
Before Snape had come to him, Dumbledore knew that he had been a Death Eater. Many of the staff could not understand why Albus would employ someone who stood for such evil things. But from what Severus had told him, Dumbledore knew there was a reason that he had left the Death Eaters to come to his former Headmaster. He had guessed from several things that Severus had said and some that he hadn't, that the reason for his defection was one of the reasons that he hated James Potter so much. Lily Potter.
Dumbledore had often assumed that Severus had been driven to the Death Eaters out of jealousy. After all, the only friends that Snape seemed to have were all Death Eaters and many of the people from the light side refused to see Snape for what he was. Inside, buried under the weight of countless disappointment and empty promises, was a lost little boy who was wanting someone to love him and see past the outward shell. Lily had once seen past the disguise, but she fell in love with James Potter and that had most likely driven him to the point of no return. The only thing that could have brought him back was the same thing that drove him away.
Dumbledore's thoughts turned to his former students. What were they doing right now and were they safe? When would this nightmare end and everybody could go back to the way things were before Lord Voldemort began his reign of terror? Before the night was over, however, Albus would regret his thoughts and remember the muggle saying, "Be careful what you wish for."
Just as Albus was about to send everyone to bed, a shocked silence filled the room. Then there were several cries of anguish from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables. Then he heard Minerva McGonagall's cry of shock and horror from beside him and he looked up.
There floating down the aisle in their ghastly pale forms were two spirits. At first he didn't recognize them, but then he realized that it was because he didn't want to recognize them. It was James and Lily Potter. Dumbledore felt his throat close in sorrow and the twinkling light went out of his eyes. What had happened? He would have bet his life on the fact that Sirius Black would have died before he gave his best friends away. But here they were. Undoubtedly, irrevocably dead. And there was nothing in this world that he could do to change that.
"Dumbledore, I wanted to come here and thank you in person for all of the things that you have done for my family. Please, do not blame yourself. No one could have seen this coming. I must hurry for my time is short. Death has given us a few minutes only to say what we've come to say and then we must leave forever." James' ghostly voice rang throughout the silent great hall as the people there didn't even seem to breathe. "There are many things that I want to say, but am unable to do so because there might be spies in this room even as we speak. There is something I want you to remember for there will come a day when it will be of vast importance to the future of our world. On that day you will find that those thought to be traitors will be shown as true, and those thought to be true will be shown to be traitors. When that day comes, remember my words and listen with an open heart. Please tell Remus we are sorry and ask him not to blame himself. Also, if you come across a rat bring it to the Minister of Magic and make him tell his tale."
"Please tell Harry we love him and will always be watching out for him. Take care of him for us." Lily's voice was filled with sadness as the two of them faded to nothing.
The shocked silence in the great hall was broken only by sobs from some of the older girls and curses from some of the older boys who were at school when James and Lily went. Dumbledore stood up shakily. "Minerva, I would like you to keep everyone here until I return. Try to comfort everyone and reassure them that everything will be alright. I am going to check something in my office."
Dumbedore stumbled up to his office and stared into the foe glass that stood there. No longer was a shadowy man that once went by the name Tom Riddle in the glass. In fact, many foes had disappeared. He looked for the one man that should have appeared in the glass, but Sirius Black was nowhere to be seen. There was, however, a indistinct shape of someone that had never been before but they were unrecognizable. He felt for a chair and sat down miserably. What was he going to do? How was he going to break the news to Remus Lupin that two of his best friends were dead and the other was a traitor?
Prologue
October 31, 1981
The feast is going well, as usual, thought Albus Dumbledore as he watched the students sitting at the tables before him. This was a time when he could just sit back and relax from the stress that had been dragging him down for the past several months. He hoped that his two best students, Lily and James Potter, were settling down into their home as best they could.
He glanced down the table at his Potions master. Severus Snape's head was bowed over his food and lately he had not been meeting anybody's eyes. Only a few months before, Severus had come to him with the news that Lily and James Potter had been singled out by Lord Voldemort as a target for destruction.
Before Snape had come to him, Dumbledore knew that he had been a Death Eater. Many of the staff could not understand why Albus would employ someone who stood for such evil things. But from what Severus had told him, Dumbledore knew there was a reason that he had left the Death Eaters to come to his former Headmaster. He had guessed from several things that Severus had said and some that he hadn't, that the reason for his defection was one of the reasons that he hated James Potter so much. Lily Potter.
Dumbledore had often assumed that Severus had been driven to the Death Eaters out of jealousy. After all, the only friends that Snape seemed to have were all Death Eaters and many of the people from the light side refused to see Snape for what he was. Inside, buried under the weight of countless disappointment and empty promises, was a lost little boy who was wanting someone to love him and see past the outward shell. Lily had once seen past the disguise, but she fell in love with James Potter and that had most likely driven him to the point of no return. The only thing that could have brought him back was the same thing that drove him away.
Dumbledore's thoughts turned to his former students. What were they doing right now and were they safe? When would this nightmare end and everybody could go back to the way things were before Lord Voldemort began his reign of terror? Before the night was over, however, Albus would regret his thoughts and remember the muggle saying, "Be careful what you wish for."
Just as Albus was about to send everyone to bed, a shocked silence filled the room. Then there were several cries of anguish from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables. Then he heard Minerva McGonagall's cry of shock and horror from beside him and he looked up.
There floating down the aisle in their ghastly pale forms were two spirits. At first he didn't recognize them, but then he realized that it was because he didn't want to recognize them. It was James and Lily Potter. Dumbledore felt his throat close in sorrow and the twinkling light went out of his eyes. What had happened? He would have bet his life on the fact that Sirius Black would have died before he gave his best friends away. But here they were. Undoubtedly, irrevocably dead. And there was nothing in this world that he could do to change that.
"Dumbledore, I wanted to come here and thank you in person for all of the things that you have done for my family. Please, do not blame yourself. No one could have seen this coming. I must hurry for my time is short. Death has given us a few minutes only to say what we've come to say and then we must leave forever." James' ghostly voice rang throughout the silent great hall as the people there didn't even seem to breathe. "There are many things that I want to say, but am unable to do so because there might be spies in this room even as we speak. There is something I want you to remember for there will come a day when it will be of vast importance to the future of our world. On that day you will find that those thought to be traitors will be shown as true, and those thought to be true will be shown to be traitors. When that day comes, remember my words and listen with an open heart. Please tell Remus we are sorry and ask him not to blame himself. Also, if you come across a rat bring it to the Minister of Magic and make him tell his tale."
"Please tell Harry we love him and will always be watching out for him. Take care of him for us." Lily's voice was filled with sadness as the two of them faded to nothing.
The shocked silence in the great hall was broken only by sobs from some of the older girls and curses from some of the older boys who were at school when James and Lily went. Dumbledore stood up shakily. "Minerva, I would like you to keep everyone here until I return. Try to comfort everyone and reassure them that everything will be alright. I am going to check something in my office."
Dumbedore stumbled up to his office and stared into the foe glass that stood there. No longer was a shadowy man that once went by the name Tom Riddle in the glass. In fact, many foes had disappeared. He looked for the one man that should have appeared in the glass, but Sirius Black was nowhere to be seen. There was, however, a indistinct shape of someone that had never been before but they were unrecognizable. He felt for a chair and sat down miserably. What was he going to do? How was he going to break the news to Remus Lupin that two of his best friends were dead and the other was a traitor?