Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter characters or plots, but I do however own my original characters, which may or may not be appearing in abundance in this fic. I am making no money off of this, otherwise it wouldn't be on here.

"Albus!" Came a piercing screech from outside of Albus Dumbledore's office, his head perked up in alarm from reading a report on his desk, and not a moment later, the door crashed open. "Albus!"

"Yes, Minerva, what is it?" Dumbledore responded calmly, though he was secretly troubled by anything that could cause this big of a panic attack on the school's Deputy Headmistress.

"Azkaban Prison has been destroyed!" She shrieked. "No survivors, barely even any remains."

Dumbledore leapt out of his chair and raised his eyebrows in surprise, "When did this happen?" He quietly asked.

"The explosion was heard a quarter past one 'o clock, the first team of Aurors, including Nymphadora, got there fifteen minutes later, and found the prison to be completely incinerated...the island was destroyed all the way down to water level, with debris landing as far away as the Scotland coastline."

Dumbledore sunk into his chair just as quickly as he had risen from it, and rubbed his eyes wearily. "All of the Death Eaters we've caught...if any of them managed to escape, they could be able to inform Voldemort of Order members identities. How did this happen?"

"I wasn't told...perhaps you should floo Arthur and see if he has any further information." She suggested.

"Yes, that's a good idea..." He stood from his chair once again and made his way over to the large fireplace in the office; Taking a large pot filled with floo powder, he withdrew a handful and threw it into the fireplace, then clearly shouted "Minister of Magic's office!"

Arthur Weasley was intently reading the latest report from the rescue teams at Azkaban, when he heard a familiar voice calling his name from nearby.

"Albus!" He greeted as he made his way over to the fireplace and took a seat in front of it.

"Hello, Arthur. I'm sure you know why I'm calling..."

Arthur nodded grimly, and began talking. "At 1:15 this afternoon, Azkaban Prison, and the island it was on, exploded. Nothing remains above water-level, no survivors have been found, and there's only been very few remains, in small portions, recovered from the surrounding waters."

"Any idea how it happened?"

"None. All we can guess, is that it was magical, due to the explosion suddenly ceasing to destroy anything below water. But neither I, nor anyone else in the ministry, has ever heard of anyone creating a magical explosion as powerful as the one that occurred."

"Exactly how powerful was it?"

"There have been bludger-sized pieces of rock found as far away as mainland Scotland, and a good portion of the island was completely vaporized, along with most of the people on it. The largest body part that has been found, is half of a finger. And it is in very bad shape, mind you. A good portion of the skin is melted off of it, fingernail is melted, blood is all cauterized."

"How many people were on the island?"

Arthur stood and went back to his desk, and retrieved a piece of parchment from a stack of identical looking parchments, then took his place back on the chair in front of the fireplace. "There were ten Aurors, fifty regular prison guards, and at last check, one-hundred and eleven prisoners."

Dumbledore sighed heavily, and remained silent for a moment. "Sixty good men..."

Arthur nodded, and didn't look at least bit inclined to argue that the hundred and eleven prisoners were also good men. "And, who some still believe, to be a good boy."

"Harry."

"Yes. Those that still support him, do so without any noise...nobody knows who they are."

Dumbledore shook his head sadly as he thought about how Harry turned out, back during his Fifth year at Hogwarts. "I should inform Hermione and Sirius...they would want to know about it before the Daily Prophet comes out."

Arthur frowned, "I understand your reasoning for allowing them to remain in the Order..."

Dumbledore cut him off sharply, "This is neither the time, nor the place, Arthur, to discuss this again." He stared Arthur down until the younger man lowered his eyes.

"Yes, of course...I'm sorry, but as you can realize, it's been a stressful day."

"I know...I'm going to let you go now, my knees are beginning to ache...it seems that old age might finally be catching up to me." He said with a wink.

Arthur chuckled and said goodbye.
Harry laughed as he stepped out of the boat carrying a pair of Aurors, and onto a dock that would lead him to the Scottish shore. The two Aurors heard the laugh, and looked up in alarm.

"Did you hear that?"

"Where did it come from?"

"Finite Incantatum!"

Harry's invisibility charm faded, and he grinned at the two shocked Auror's.

"Oops."

The Aurors gasped as they saw the scar on his forehead.

"Harry Potter!"

"Stun him!"

The Auror's drew their wands and ran to either side of him, preparing to hex him. Harry was prepared, however, and closed his eyes in a peaceful manner, drawing magical energy around him. The spells that the Auror's cast at him bounced off of his skin like rubber balls, and flew into the sky. Harry opened his eyes, and smiled again, before raising his hand towards one of the Auror's. He murmured a word, and the Auror fell unconscious. Turning around, he did the same to his companion. Shaking his head at the pathetic excuses the Ministry had for Aurors these days, he strode towards each of them and whispered "Obliviate." wiping their memories clean of having seen him.

Harry walked down Main Street of the small wizarding village that the dock belonged to, and glanced around curiously. He was using a masking charm, making himself look completely different from how he really was. Instead of a muscular, pale, and filthy young man, he now looked like a respectable middle-aged businessman, possibly in the financial area of work. He had light brown hair with a small amount of gray appearing here and there, warm brown eyes, and stood about two meters tall.

He entered a small shop that was selling robes and other articles of clothing and accessories, and walked up to the counter, wear a clerk was sitting idly by, examining her finger nails. She looked up when he approached, and smiled warmly.

"Hello, how may I help you?"

Harry returned the smile and leaned onto the counter before replying. "I was wondering if you could direct me to the nearest apparition point. I was on vacation, sailing my boat off the coast, and I seem to have sprung a leak in the hull, so I'm in need to reach Gringott's bank to withdraw the funds necessary to repair it." He smiled again after speaking, and his eyes sparkled merrily.

She nodded and gave him directions, which lead out of the village by about a quarter of a mile. Harry thanked her, and made his way in that direction. He took his time walking there, deciding to enjoy the outdoors, after spending so long locked inside his cell. He ran his hands over the tall grass and flowers bordering the path that lead to the apparition point, and picked a rose to smell. After a short while, he reached the point, and after taking another look around the area, disapparated.
"Professor Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore was cut from his thoughts as he saw a slightly built, bushy haired, brown eyed young woman approaching him at a jog. He sighed inwardly as he saw the look on her face, and figured that she must've already heard the news.

"Is it true, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"It is, Miss Granger. I'm sorry."

Hermione's shoulders slumped, and she bowed her head. Dumbledore felt a pang of sympathy for her, and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps his release from life will bring him happiness in death."

She jerked her head up and glared at Dumbledore, "You think that he'd be happy, knowing that nearly the entire wizarding population of the world, thought that he actually committed those crimes? He was innocent, and nobody believed him, you all just let him rot there. I hope he haunts the lot of you. Some loyalty." She spat out, then turned on her heel and stalked off.
Harry leisurely strolled through Diagon Alley, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells that he had missed for nearly a decade. Over the years, Voldemort had gained immeasurable power, and had made hundreds of attacks on both wizard and muggle locations alike. Therefore, Aurors were stationed almost everywhere Harry could see, as he walked down the street. A frown passed over his features as he noticed the burned out shell of several buildings that he didn't remember. Warding spells were placed around them to prevent people from poking around in the ruins, and hurting themselves.

"Death Eaters attack Liverpool, Death Eaters attack Liverpool! Special edition of the Daily Prophet out now, only five knuts!" A boy shouted from the doorway of the Daily Prophet's offices. A grim silence followed this exclamation, and people slowly, almost against their will, bought copies of the Prophet and began to read.

Harry sidled up to a group of people and listened to them converse about the attack.

"Thirty people dead, it says." One person said.

"God damned Death Eaters, they're everywhere now." Another replied.

"I can't believe You-Know-Who hasn't tried to overthrow the Ministry yet, his army has to be powerful enough to take over the world by now." One whispered.

"Careful there, I heard that Ben Lartney was arrested by that special division of Aurors when he spoke about that. Thomas Finwell told me that Ranier Malaston had them created as a secret police force to stop people from talking about things they shouldn't be." A bearded man whispered in reply.

"Thomas Finwell? Isn't he Assistant to the Minister of Security?"

"Yes, but he's not all that corrupt. Unlike his boss, Malaston, he wants people to be able to live freely, as well as be protected. Malaston wants to control everyone, place spells all over their homes to watch them, in what he says, as a way of protecting of them."

"He sounds like a good guy."

"That he is. He also believes Harry Potter was innocent, so that's another point for him, in my book."

Harry's ears perked up at this, and he discreetly moved closer to the group, while pretending to look in the window of a shop.

"If Malaston or Weasley finds out about that, they'll have him fired. There's no way he was guilty of those crimes, but they still believe he should get the Dementor's Kiss."

The group began to walk away, while staying closely together.

"How do you know him, anyway?" An elderly man asked.

The bearded man looked around carefully, and leaned in towards the elderly man before replying. "Remus Lupin inducted him into the Order of the Lion."

"We really shouldn't be discussing this here." One of the other men interrupted, and the group nodded and began walking to Flourish and Botts.

'Order of the Lion?' Harry asked himself. He didn't recall that being mentioned in any of the secret letters that Remus, Sirius, Hermione, or Snape sent him.

"News!" The boy that was yelling about Liverpool being attacked, screamed at the top of his lungs. "Azkaban Prison destroyed this afternoon! Everyone dead, including ten Aurors, fifty guards, and over a hundred prisoners, counting the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter!"

The people in the street gasped in unison at this, and flocked to get the latest report. Harry chuckled to himself at the mayhem he was responsible for, and walked into The Leaky Cauldron. Once there, he found the fireplace, and threw in a pinch of floo powder, clearly shouting "Hogsmeade!".

Harry tumbled out of the fireplace, and was barely able to keep his balance. He looked up, to find himself in the Three Broomsticks, with a dozen people staring at him warily. He at once wondered if his disguise was still in place, but with a discreet glance at himself, he was assured that it was.

A young woman walked up to him, holding her wand at the ready. "Wand please." She demanded.

"I don't have it with me." Harry responded.

She looked at him suspiciously, and muttered a spell that he couldn't hear. After a moment of looking at him, she nodded grudgingly and motioned for him to go.

He complied, and left the restaurant. Turning, he began walking towards Hogwarts. He needed to find Hermione, and knew that she would be there.
At that same time, Hermione had her head stuck in the fireplace in her living quarters.

"I'm sorry, Sirius."

On the other end, Sirius looked absolutely crushed, and held his head in his hands. "I can't believe it's true..." He trailed off, looking at the floor. "I'll get Remus, we'll come there right away. I don't want you to be alone during this time."

In truth, she felt that he was right. She didn't want to be alone with this, especially with the general Harry sentiment going about. She nodded, "Okay. I'll be waiting for you at the Grindylow statue.

"We'll be there in an hour."
Harry walked up to the massive doors of Hogwarts, and looked at the pair of Aurors standing like sentinels on either side. They glared at him, seeming almost eager to duel.

"What's your business here?" The older, and bigger of the two demanded.

"I'm here to see Professor Granger."

"On what business?" He demanded again.

"It's personal."

"Well that's too bad, then." He sneered.

Harry sighed audibly. "It's important that I speak with her, now would you let me in?"

The Auror crossed his arms, but keeping his wand pointing at Harry. "Why don't you tell me what it is, and I'll decide if it's important or not."

"This is ridiculous. Let me in to see her, now."

"Sod off, old man."

Harry growled angrily, and barely managed to restrain himself from physically beating the bloody piss out of the arsehole in front of him. He settled for his next choice, though. He used the same curse as the one he used on the dock, and in less than a second, both of the Aurors were unconscious. "Obliviate." he whispered, and their memories of seeing him were erased. With that obstacle out of the way, he opened the doors, and entered the castle's Great Hall.
Severus Snape glared disdainfully at a group of students milling about in the Great Hall, and watched somewhat amusedly as they practically ran in the other direction. He looked up from his student terrorizing as he heard the main doors being opened. In walked a middle aged man, closing the doors behind him. But before the doors were closed, Snape saw the body of one of the Aurors laying on the ground. Drawing his wand, he ran towards the stranger, already shouting a curse.

Harry closed the doors, and turned to see Snape hurtling a curse at him. "Protego!" He barely managed to yell, just before the curse hit him. The shield protected him, and Snape darted to the side with surprising quickness, sending a flurry of jinxes and curses.

Harry dropped to the floor and rolled, "Expelliarmus!" He called. It got by Snape before he could erect a shield, and sent him crashing to the floor, while his wand flew to Harry's hand. Harry calmly walked over to Snape, who was rising to his feet, looking for a weapon. "Snape."

Snape looked at the man, and noticed for the first time that he didn't have a wand. He stood dumbfounded, the man had performed all the magic, without a wand.

"Snape." He said again.

Snape recovered his wits, and lowered into a crouch, before asking. "Who are you?"

Harry smiled ever so slightly, before replying. "Aren't I spitting image of my father?"

Snape glared violently at him. "I asked who you are. Answer me, before I send for more Aurors."

Harry smiled wider, and laughed. "I need to see Hermione, Moony, and Padfoot," He said. "About Prongs." He made sure to emphasize the names, hoping Snape would get the point. He assumed he did, when Snape's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

Snape's head was spinning. Could it be? Surely it couldn't. Azkaban was destroyed only a couple hours earlier, nobody survived. He thought quickly. What was one thing that only Potter would know? It came to him immediately, though he was disgusted to ask it. "Why did I stop teaching you Occlumency?"

Harry grinned. "I snuck into your pensieve and saw my father flipping you upside down and exposing your...undergarments, to the rest of the school."

Snape growled angrily, but at the same time, felt a measure of relief. "Come with me." He said, then began walking up a nearby staircase. "Granger will want to see you. She's rather distraught at the moment, due to your early...demise." He added the last word while glancing at Harry and raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, I'd like to see her as well. All of you in fact." He began looking around closely at his surroundings, having never been in the staff quarters before. They came up to a door with the words 'Professor Granger' on the front, and Snape rapped on it quickly. Without waiting more than a couple seconds, she had opened the door.

Harry looked at her. He hadn't seen her in eight years, and now that he finally got to again...she looked like a mess. Eyes were puffy, nose was red from crying. Hair disheveled even more than usual. Upon seeing a stranger at her door, she tried to make herself look more presentable, though it didn't particularly help.

"Are you planning on letting us in, Miss Granger?" Snape asked coldly.

"Oh! Forgive me, I just...come in." She moved aside and waved them in.

Harry walked in, and felt memories wash over him like warm water. Everywhere he could see, there were pictures of him, during various times at Hogwarts. In the Gryffindor common room, in the Great Hall, on the Quidditch Field, and in various other places. In many of them, he was with Hermione and Ron, though Ron appeared to be removed from most of them, except for the happiest. A large poster on the wall over a bookshelf had his face on it, with the words 'Free Harry Potter' written across it. He couldn't help but laugh, and didn't notice the expression of rage come across Hermione's features.

Hermione leapt on the stranger that was laughing at her memorial of Harry, and began hitting him as hard as she could, which wasn't very hard. She punched, slapped, pushed, pulled, and scratched everywhere she could get to, all the while screaming. "He was innocent you son of a bitch, don't you dare laugh at him! I'll kill you, you sodding bastard!"

Harry grabbed her by the wrists and rolled over so he had her pinned underneath him, then looked at Snape. "Lock the door, curtain any windows, place silencing charms everywhere." Snape hurriedly complied, and Harry kept the struggling Hermione from getting up.

"Everything's secure." Snape reported at last, settling himself into a chair.

"Good." With that, Harry stood up, letting go of Hermione, who crawled back against a wall and stood up.

"Who are you, and what do you want? Why did you bring him here, Professor Snape?"

Harry took several deep breaths in preparation, and let his disguise drop.

There was silence.

Hermione stared at him in revulsion, as did Snape.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Who are you?" Hermione managed to get out.

Harry looked down at himself, and blanched. "Shit." He had never gotten around to shaving the filthy beard that grew down to his chest, and cutting the equally filthy hair that went down his back. He closed his eyes and concentrated; Slowly, the beard disappeared back to where it came from, and the hair shortened to its normal length.

"Harry?!" Hermione screeched, while bracing herself for a joke.

Harry couldn't help but grin widely, "It's good to see you, Hermione." He stepped towards her as she leapt at him, throwing her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, while she sobbed into his neck.

Pulling herself together, Hermione stepped back from him, and grinned at him. "I can't believe it. Did you know Azkaban was destroyed? Everyone was thought dead...we all thought you were dead too."

"You can say that I know about it." Harry said, and winked at her and Snape.

At this, Snape opened his eyes widely, and sputtered. "You destroyed Azkaban Prison?"

Harry shrugged, "I'd rather not talk about it right now. As I see Hermione trying to be discreet about pinching her nose, I'd like to take a shower first." He added with a chuckle, as she blushed.

"I'll show you where it is." She said, and pulled him after her.

He dug his heels into the floor, and turned to look at Snape, who was preparing to leave. "Sn...Professor?"

Snape turned around, and raised his eyebrows in surprise at Harry actually sounding sincere when saying that. "Yes?"

"Thank you for supporting me. And please keep this from absolutely everyone. Especially those that didn't believe me." He said the last part bitterly, with just a hint of malice.

Snape nodded, and even smiled the tiniest of fractions, then left.

"Okay, take me to the shower." He said to Hermione, who resumed leading him.

"S...ve...be..n doing...nc you..."

Harry shut off the water, and turned to face the door of the loo. "Hermione!" He yelled.

"Yes?" She answered.

"Just come in here and talk. I can't even hear you when you're out there."

"But...you're...shower...naked..." She sputtered out, while blushing at just the thought.

"You have a shower curtain." He answered pointedly.

"Oh. Right. Okay then, I'm coming in." She carefully opened the door, and slithered in, shutting it behind her.

"Right then. Now you can talk and I can hear you." He turned the water back on and resumed scrubbing. "What were you saying?"

"I asked what you had been doing since you got off the island, as it's been awhile since it was destroyed."

"Did some shopping, mostly." He answered.

"How did you get the money? Wait, don't answer. I don't want to know."

Harry laughed. "Consider it retribution."

Hermione hoisted herself onto the sink, and sat on the edge, staring towards the shower. She still couldn't believe that it was really Harry. For one, he was the soul survivor of a blast that killed almost two-hundred people. Another, he had shown both metamorphagus and animagus abilities...she knew that he had no metamorphagus ability, and his animagus abilities were never trained, since he was imprisoned before Professor McGonagal could teach him.

"So Harry, have you thought any more of that kiss I gave you after our third year?"

"Fourth year, Hermione."

"Never the less..." She trailed off, thinking of something else to ask that only he would know.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. It was the most action I recieved that year. I used to lord it over the rats and other prisoners I was locked up with; 'The Hermione Granger grabbed me and kissed me until I couldn't breathe any longer, and then licked her lips and winked at me, while swaying her hips all the way back to her parents'"

"Harry! It was a peck on your cheek!" She blushed furiously as he laughed at her.

"If that's what you want to believe..." Harry laughed harder as he could practically see the ceiling glowing from her blush. "By the way, I need more soap."

"There was an entire bar in there!"

"I haven't showered in eight years. The dirt on me has evolved into a sentient being, capable of running a small government. And probably doing a better job than the existing one."

"Okay, okay, I'll get you more soap. Just never mention that again."

Harry chuckled, enjoying the conversation. He wasn't actually that dirty, but was just enjoying the feel of the running water over him, and trying to prolong it as much as possible.

"I did not sway my hips!" Hermione screeched suddenly, turning to glare at the shower curtain.

"Wow, Hermione. You're getting slow in your advanced age." Harry teased.

Hermione snorted, and tossed the bar of soap over the curtain, listening intently for a muffled ouch, indicating that she had hit him in the head. It didn't come. Instead, she heard him begin to whistle a song she couldn't recall hearing, though that didn't mean much as there was plenty of music she had never heard before.

"What song is this?" She inquired.

"Hm?"

"What you're whistling."

"Oh. Beathoven."

She looked up, startled. Perhaps there was plenty of music she had never heard before, but Beathoven wasn't on that list. She happened to be a great fan of the composer, and was very familiar with all of his work. She found that the music helped her think when she was studying during the summers of her school years, and researching in her teaching years. But she had never heard this song before. "Are you sure? I've never heard it before, and I've got all of his published works."

"Key word being 'published', Hermione. This one was found after his death, and was never released to the public." He answered.

"So you know it...how?"

"Naylajarajim is a fan."

"Who is that?" She asked in confusion.

"So it wasn't you who sent me the book," He stated, more than asked. This just served to frustrate him, as he couldn't stop wondering who sent it to him. "I've been wondering for awhile."

"What book, Harry?"

"Nevermind. I'll explain it to you when Sirius and Remus get here. Snape too." He shut the water off, and stretched out, smiling at the cracking sound of his joints.

Hermione cringed at the grotesque cracking noises, and hung a towel over the curtain rod for Harry, "Why do you think those two are coming?" She asked, fingering her wand warily.

"Because that would be the first thing that Snape would've done after learning I still live. They've at least been civil to each other since forming your reluctant alliance to support me." Harry grabbed the towel and began drying himself, resuming his whistling.

Harry stepped out of the shower, accompanied by a shriek from Hermione as she hurried to both cover her eyes, and run from the room at the same time. The combination didn't work well, as she banged her hip on the sink, then ran face first into the wall, before finally stumbling out of the room.

Her muffled exclamations of pain and annoyance were clearly audible through the door.

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Harry asked from where he was still standing, one foot out of the shower.

"I think I fractured my hip! Why did you do that?" She yelled in response.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Come out of the shower completely starkers, without warning me!"

Harry shrugged; He didn't see it as too big of a deal, having lived in tortuous conditions accompanied by only his nightmares and several insane inmates for the past eight years.

"My sincerest apologies," Was his dry response.

He could still hear Hermione grumbling to herself from the other side of the door, as he conjured a new set of clothing to wear. He stepped out of the bathroom, to find Hermione examining a newly formed bruise on her hip.

"You should watch where you're going," He remarked.

Hermione glared in response, then walked back into the sitting room, followed by Harry.

"You're wearing new clothes..." She said, looking him over.

"Conjured them." He said, while taking a seat in a comfortable looking chair, situated next to a comfortable looking fireplace.

"How do you know how to conjure?" She asked, while raising her eyebrows.

"All in due time, Hermione."

She sighed. Obviously, she would learn nothing until the rest of his loyal contingent arrived.

Harry absently twirled a lock of hair around his fingers, looking into the the fireplace. Almost as an after thought, he spoke up. "So what is dear old Ronald up to these days?"

She was interrupted from replying, when the door burst open, and three middle aged men entered, lead by one extremely bouncy and excited man, with lightly graying hair.

"Harry!" Sirius Black shouted, while lunging at him, almost knocking him out of the chair.