Chapter 24

Harry remained seated at his desk, pondering on what he had told his mother. Never before had he thought he was capable of the things he said. But he was right. His mother was targeted for who she was. As were those around her. She had to see that just because you can't find the answer doesn't mean they aren't around.

She had to see that there was more to life than what they were taught and believed in. Nothing was easy. Everything was corrupt, everything was grey. He should know better than them all. Only thirteen years of age and sent to Azkaban for murder. No one bothered to make sure he could tell his side. Left to rot in prison while a sadistic monster tried to torment the innocence of three young children, trying to tear away what made them sparkle.

That was something he couldn't condone. Children were the spice of life. They were the reason any mother or father gave up their lives. They were the reason for any good to come from the bad. They were the hope, the dream, the wish. Without them, there was nothing. And nothing was the worst thing that could happen.

But he had already sworn. Sworn on his life that he would make sure Voldemort paid. He had sworn he would reveal the one thing no one knew could happen. Harry wasn't stupid. There was a prophecy but what no one knew was that prophecies were meant to be broken. They were what he remembered from a book about pirates, they were guidelines. Like oaths, they were simply something to follow but meant to be broken. Sometimes something better came along, something like friendships that made everything change, even if wasn't always for the better.

And speaking of friendships, something zipped through his entire being. He suddenly knew it was almost time. Which meant a quick trip to the Headmaster. Seconds later, expending some magic, Harry Jumped to Albus' side. "Shadow!"

"I am called. They call me. I do not know when I shall return. Please have everything ready for me. And keep an eye on them all, Albus."

"But of course, my friend." Harry gripped the older man's hand tightly before vanishing. "Be safe, my boy. For you, danger seems to lurk at every shadow. Maybe this once Fate will be kind to an old man. What do you think, Fawkes?" The bright reddish-gold Phoenix trilled happily as his owner went back to absentmindedly sucking on the various candies in the office.

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Fate was kind. She allowed her young Vulcan to hear the old wizard's plea. Harry smiled with the warmth of the words. He would be careful. He had much to do before he could finish what had beenstarted that tragic Halloween night. And it began with a frantic cleansing of the old Riddle home. Voldemort was anxious to leave. He believed there was nothing to fear. But something was coming. He could feel it and didn't like it. Therefore, he summoned every Death Eater to his side.

Outside the crumbling home stood a lone cloaked figure. Hands were held flat against the walls of the wards. A face scrunched in absolute concentration. Magic was forced to bend to the Assassin Vulcan's will. Harry succeeding in what others had failed. He forced the powerful wards to crumble. And with a purpose he stormed the house, intent on reaching his siblings.

Inside, alarms shrilly blared. The Death Eaters immediately formed a line, obscuring the three captives from view. But they already knew. They felt his power through their rings and now they waited. As well as one Death Eater. Severus Snape had once again been summoned. This time he remembered what it was he had forgotten. The three captives were the three missing children, presumed dead by all. But he had no chance of freeing them, not with the Dark Lord and Death Eaters hovering about. Although, that might change since the alarms sounded, meaning the wards had finally fallen.

"Well, well, well. A party and I wasn't invited."

"Potter!" Voldemort hissed his rival's name, unwilling to believe the boy actually had done the impossible.

Harry smirked beneath his hood. He knew Voldemort expected a frail boy and not the powerful man. And he would let the sadistic bastard have his little fantasy, at least for now. Sweeping back the hood, everyone could see the exhausted, pale features of thirteen-year-old Harry Potter. "I did warn you."

"Kill him!" The Death Eaters jumped to respond, flinging Dark hexes and curses. But Harry was either able to dive aside or block them, stunning a few of the Death Eaters, suddenly throwing some of them back into their Defense class with a man called Assassin Vulcan Shadow.

Harry used that split second hesitation to maneuver his way to the three captives. Each grabbed a tight hold of his cloak, and he tossed a saucy smile to an irate Voldemort, "Until next time, Tommy boy."

Voldemort screamed in absolute rage as the four vanished. He turned his anger upon his faithful, relishing their sudden cries, pleas, and jerky movements. "I want them found! Or you will learn the meaning of painful death! Now!" The Death Eaters immediately apparated, not willing to stay behind.

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"Severus!" All eyes were pinned upon the viciously shaking and bloody figure that stumbled into the Order meeting. Molly Weasley scrambled to find Poppy as Remus eased the almost broken body into a chair. Another handed the man a steaming cup, then helped Severus drink it as his hands threatened to spill it.

Poppy hurried to his side, "Oh, Severus. What has he done to you?"

A croaking voice spilled from a throat badly torn from screaming, "To us all."

"Shh! No more talking. You'll ruin that throat even more."

"Poppy?"

"Be quick about it, Albus. He needs plenty of rest and healing." Albus nodded, swiftly pulling his wand. With precision, he had the memory pulled from his spy's mind and playing before them all. By the end, no one could breathe.

"Oh, Merlin, she's alive. My Ginny's alive." Molly wailed into the comforting shoulder of her husband.

With Remus' help Poppy dragged a willing but hurting patient to the Hospital Wing. "Yes, Molly. They are all alive. Which means Harry Potter never murdered them."

"We must find them. Fudge will have no choice but to re-try Harry Potter."

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But Harry wouldn't be easily found. "Ah, the chosen one has returned to us."

Harry smirked as he dropped the glamours to reveal his true self, in all his Vulcan and inhuman glory. "It's nice to be back, Berry." Said female half-heartedly glared at him. "I'll need your help now."

"Of course. You've been expending your magic. We shall escort your three siblings home while I lend you a rather large boost to make it back." With a whistle, she summoned two other Avians. Take these three to Hogwarts. It is Harry's wish and desire to reunite them withtheir families as he finishes the last part of his orders in the past.

Harry waited until the five left. "Thank you, Berry."

"Fate has decided to lend a helping hand. She bade you to have this. It was the same potion used upon your siblings, forcing exact copies to be murdered. Fate has decided you've suffered long enough searching for answers." Harry reached out for a small bottle, gratefully smiling. He had never found anything within Hogwarts' library nor any other bookstore he found.

"Thank you." Berry simply smiled, allowing her magic to calmly flow into her child. He gathered their combined magic to prepare for his last few Time Jumps, disappearing in shimmering smoke.

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Within moments Harry reappeared in the Headmaster's office, slightly dizzier than normal. Strong hands caught him in mid-fall. Once again a small black owl flew in through the window. "Sorry. Spread my magic a bit too much. Needed a boost, which only lasts long enough for my next two Jumps."

"Professor!"

Emerald eyes blinked, realizing he not only reappeared before several of his old students but left the glamour off. He blinked even more to see his mother proudly glowing as her belly bulged outwards. "Ah. Well, unexpected."

"Welcome back, Professor."

Harry shook his head, "Not for long. I'm simply here for James and Lily."

James held his wife close, glaring at his old Professor. Sirius and Remus both whipped out their wands, steadily pointing them towards Harry. "Why?"

Head to one side, he turned to Albus, "Is it ready?"

"Ah, yes. Quite ready and fully stocked. Two House-elves from Hogwarts will remain until you're ready. Minerva was quite helpful, unfortunate though that she lost that memory. Students should be more careful where they point their wands when practicing."

The four ex-students chuckled, "Thank you." Harry turned to the Potters, "I need the two of you to drink this by morning."

James frowned, "What is it?"

Albus sighed, "James, if he wished to murder you, he could. If you remember, Assassin Vulcans answer to a higher power. No one could stop him from murdering us all and getting away with it."

All four paled, but still waited. "It's a complex potion designed for duplicating an exact double of human tissue."

"Why us?"

Harry smirked. Within seconds his hand was out, casting a silent spell, both Remus and Sirius were out cold. "Eh, sorry. Couldn't let them know. They won't remember a thing once they wake. But I'm just following orders."

Lily's eyes widened. "We shall. And our baby?"

Here he shuttered his expression, "Left behind."

"What! No!" James was not going to let his First-born child be taken from him, not if he could stop it. Maybe he couldn't win against the Assassin Vulcan but he would try.

Lily understood, but the how she couldn't explain. "James." Seconds after his name she grimaced, clutching her stomach.

"Lily!"

"Only labor pains."

Hours later found Lily in the Hospital Wing with James and Madame Pomfrey. Their three friends and the Headmaster waited outside. "Lily, why didn't you tell me you were having labor pains!"

"Because this is all your fault, James Andres Potter!"

The three friends cracked with laughter as they listenedto Lily berate James through the entire pregnancy. "Time to start pushing, Lily."

"Breathe, Lily, breathe!"

"I am breathing, you moronic idiot!" They could hear several smacks and James crying out in pain as Poppy kept urging Lily to push.

"He's almost here, Lily. Just a bit more."

"Don't ever come near me again, Potter! Do you hear me? Touch me and you'll be castrated! Just like your friends when I'm done with them!"

The three friends paled at her raging promise, not wanting that to happen. Albus chuckled. "It's quite a normal reaction, my boys. She'll be just fine once it's over."

And it was. Once they heard the baby's cry, they rushed inside to find the parents cooing over a tiny babe. Lily held up the baby, "His name is Harry James Potter."

They could all see the milky pale skin, tufts of thick black hair, tiny waving fists, and sleepy bluish-green eyes. Poppy smiled as she recorded it all, "I believe his eyes will more likely become green as he gets older. Congratulations, Lily and James. It's a beautiful, very healthy baby boy."

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By the early rays of incoming dawn, Harry had already whisked away the true parents of little Harry, while exact duplicates remained behind, cooing over an innocent sleeping baby . He knew a deep felt thanks would be given to his saviors, not just for allowing him to save his family but for giving him a potion to create permanent clones to save his timeline. And before he could return to his timeline, Harry gave his parents time to collect a few invaluable mementos before hording them away to a very heavily warded summer cottage. Without a word, he vanished, leaving behind two distraught parents, alone in their grief.