The following events take place between Midnight and 1 a.m

Dumbledore jerked awake from his uncomfortable position in the high-backed chair. Fawkes was agitated. The phoenix was restless, moving from spot to spot around the office. Dumbeldore followed the bird's movement with his eyes, until Fawkes noticed his master was awake.

Rising, Dumbeldore made his way to the window overlooking the lake. Small lights of fairies could be seen dancing along the water's edge, but outside of the glow from the torches on the castle, the grounds were dark.

"What is it, my friend?" Dumbledore asked the bird. Fawkes let a sad, shrill note fill the room. Dumbledore shivered. Briefly a moment of fear passed over his face.

"No, Fawkes. You must be mistaken. The Potters are safe. " he said warmly, reaching out to pet the phoenix.. Fawkes would have none of it. Streching out his wings, Fawkes sang the same sad note.

Looking at the bird curiously, Dumbledore said, "Perhaps a visit to Godric's Hollow would be in order, if for no other reasons than to prove you wrong."

Gathering a few items into his cavernous robes, Dumbledore set out from his office. He left a note for Minerva and one for Severus before stepping outside.

Pocketing his wand, he hurried to the edge of the anti-apparation fields. Sighing softly, he said, right before disappeaing, "Please let him be wrong."

-----12:06

Sirius was still staing at the crater that had once been Lily and James's house. There was smoke billowing from the debris. He was having a hard time breathing. Everything felt constricted.

There were a few wizards in the crowd, whispering nervously to one another. There was no dark mark floating above the house as there should have been, Sirius noted.

Focrcing himself to stand, Sirius started walking among the ruins. He bent down to pick something silver up from the coals. A photograph from James and Lily's wedding day. While wiping off the dirt from the edges, he noticed something orange. Harry's ball, Sirius thought, fingering the rubber fondly. Harry was in the habit of throwing it so Sirius, in his dog form, could go fetch it in the backyard.

Tears clouded his vision. Wiping his nose, he looked up and saw something that made his blood freeze. A figure near where the back door would have been. Sirius moved towards it.

James, Sirius registered somewhere in his mind. James had been the one to answer the door, or try and shut the door, he realized. That must mean Lily had been up with Harry. Sirius shifted boards and bricks out of the way, trying to find where Harry's nursery would have fallen.

He looked back at the street. Policemen and fire trucks had arrived at the scene, forcing the crowd to move along. Sirius quietly cast a Disillusioniment charm on himself and kept moving through the wreckage. He made it over to the other end of the house, hoping to find some sign of hope in the scene of destruction.

He shifted a few boards out of the way. He saw Lily's red hair under two rafters, her broken wand sitting in two pieces on the rafters. Despair washed over him again and he let out a low howl.

He stepped back and walked out of the remains of the house. He walked a few feet to the clearing and disapparated.

-----12:23

Chaos reigned supreme as Dumbledore arrived in the shadows near the far end of Godric's Hollow. His heart stuck in his throat.

"No." he whispered to no one. He transfigured his robes into a pair of brown trousers and dark green cardigan and approached the scene. Firemen were surveying the scene. There was smoke, but no fire, and no indication of fire damage.

"Maybe a gas explosion, Stephen?" one fireman said the chief, who was wearing a very stern expression.

"Perhaps." he said thoughtfully. "Eh, you there, what are you doing here?"

Dumbledore turned around. "Nothing, I assure you, sir." He stepped back. He heard three loud cracks. Craning his neck, he saw Alastor Moody, Barty Crouch, and a third ministry official apparate. They quickly walked up to the policemen and firemen and began obliviating them. Within five minutes, all the muggle had dispersed.

Crouch nodded to Dumbledore and took the unnamed official with him. Alastor stayed behind. "There's nothing you could have done, Albus." he said gruffly. "If Voldemort wanted them dead, there's nothing you could have done."

"That is not what bothers me so much, Alastor," Dumbledore said truthfully. "But, I cannot lay a finger on it at this time. Something doesn't fit."

"You can't be too surprised, Albus. Dark wizards, the lot of them." Alastor said, surveying the damage. "I'd best get back to the Ministry. We'll need to get started on looking for any suspects. Any idea where we might start?"

"Contact Remus. Tell him what happened. He may have some idea." Dumbledore said softly. This would be a long night.

"Any idea why there's no Dark Mark hanging over the house? It made it very easy to dissuade the muggles from hanging around." Moody asked, looking in to the sky.

Dumbledore shook his head. His eyes roamed over the remains of the house, before stopping in the far right corner. He strained his ears. Yes, yes he did hear something, something very quiet.

"Alastor, wait." he commanded. He began to walk in to the rubble toward the sound.

Taking a quick look around to make sure no one was around, Dumbledore waved his wand, lifting boards and rafters from the back corner of the house.

"What is it, Albus?" Alastor asked curious.

Dumbledore walked closer, the noise becoming louder.

"I'll be damned." Alastor breathed. "It's crying."

Dumbledore shook nervously. Lifting up one final board, a wonderful sight met his eyes. Harry was alive.

He was sitting up in the remains of his crib, the sides having created a tent of the rafters when the ceiling fell. He was covered in dust and dirt and his face was covered in tear tracts, but he was alive.

Dumbledore reached down and fingered the scar on his forehead. "Alastor, something extraordinary has happened."

-------12:41

Minerva awoke with a snort, a small path of drool at the corner of her mouth. Fawkes was sitting on the desk in front of her.

"What is it, Fawkes?" she asked, blinking away sleep. Fawkes moved his graceful head down to the desk, where Minerva noticed an envelope. A note from Albus.

Taking it gingerly in her hands, Minerva broke the wax seal and pulled the small piece of parchment out.

Minerva-

Fawkes was restless this evening. I've gone to see if everytihng is all right. Hogwarts is yours. Please keep it safe. I'll will see you on the morrow.

Albus

"What is it, Fawkes? What's wrong?" Minerva asked anxiously. The bird simply blinked once or twice and gave a small chirp. Minerva shook her head and stood up.

She took to pacing her office, feeling completely helpless. She had no idea what to do. What did Albus mean? Where had he gone?

She continued to pace.

-------12:46

Remus stumbled up the steps, relying heavily on Arty's support. "Thank you, Arty. I'm terribly sorry I've been such a bother this evening." he mumbled.

"Eh, you haven't been a problem, Remus. Just took a touch more than you could handle. Merlin's beard, you aren't the first. Besides, Tom has a room open for you, he said he wouldn't charge you if you're out by ten tomorrow. Do your best, love. Opening the heavy wooden door, she deposited him on the bed. "G'night, Remus. Sleep it off."

Remus laid down on the soft mattress. He rolled over on his side, and fell asleep immediately.

------12:51

"Something has gone wrong." Severus said to his empty living room. Almost an hour ago his dark mark had burned painfully, but not as it normally did when he was being summoned. This had been different.

Severus hadn't gone to find the Dark Lord, instead waiting for a second summons before he left the comfort of Hogwarts. No such call came. In fact, the Dark Mark had almost disappeared entirely.

Severus had been on his way out the door to find the headmaster when Fawkes had arrived with a note of his departure. To pass the time until his return, Severus had taken to pacing again.

-----12:56

Sirius was pounding loudly on the wooden door of the Pettigrew family home. He'd tried Peter's cave again and found nothing changed. He'd stopped by his rooms off Diagon Alley. Nothing.

"Where is the little bastard?" Sirius growled. "Peter, answer the door!"

The door suddenly swung open, revealing a small, plump witch. "Mrs. Pettigrew. Terribly sorry to knock you up this late." Sirius apologized. "I'm looking for Peter."

"That much was obvious by your repeated yelling of his name." came the bitter reply. "I've not seen him for days, not since you came and collected him last week."

Sirius looked desperately in her eyes. "Please, Mrs. Pettigrew. Please help me. Something terrible has happened. Where would Peter go in an emergency if he couldn't get home?"

She looked him up and down, "Peter's in trouble then, is he? He usually goes to a pub in Muggle London, just off the street where the Leaky Cauldron opens up on."

Sirius grabbed her hands in his. "Thank you, thank you. You have helped me tremendously." Sirius said nastily. A sneer crept to his lips. "I've got you, Wormtail." he whispered.

Mrs. Pettigrew eyed him suspiciously, but stepped back and shut the door, bidding him good night.