A/N:

So I guess I need to put a disclaimer in this.

I do NOT own Harry Potter or any related properties.

I do NOT own Sandman or any related properties.

I do Not own ANY recognisable character or setting.

All of these belong to their respective owners, I am merely borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

With that said, the first 4 chapters are the Prologue and are basically Info-Dumps. Necessary but tedious and a bit dry. I'll post actual chapters eventually, but these needed to be done right away.

22 September 1980, Potter Cottage, Godric's Hollow

The ritual was exhausting, requiring all the knowledge Lily and James Potter had gathered from both the Department of Mysteries and the Potter Ancestral Library as well as a lot of power. Enough power that they drained the wards of the Potter Ancestral Manor.

Ever since the day Albus-too-many-names-Dumbledore saw fit to 'warn' them about the Prophecy that was 'accidentally' overheard by a Death Eater, the Potters had been frantically searching for a way to protect their son while hiding their actions from everyone around them.

Alas, they had to resort to ritual magic, and rituals always extract a heavy toll; if the ritual was ever triggered, they knew they wouldn't be around to see their child grow up. The price was worth it though; their lives for Harry's and they would gladly pay it and more besides.

Hardwin 'Harry' Conri Potter, named for both Lily's Irish heritage and James' Norse heritage, was a bright young boy even at 7 ½ weeks old. Extremely powerful for his age, Lily was already forced to place limiters on his magic to prevent his truly impressive accidental magic from changing his nursery at his whim.

He was astoundingly perceptive, with a keen intelligence shining through his emerald eyes, just a few shades brighter than his mother's. Harry was a cute child, already sporting the signature Potter hair, although his features were mainly inherited from his mother.

The Potters were forced to enact a ritual that would have far-reaching consequences for their child, whether it was completed or not. Nothing else they found was morally acceptable or achievable in any reasonable timeline. They were giving him the best chance for survival, both in case Voldemort finds them and/or as a general boost for the rest of his life. They just wished that the consequences wouldn't be too bad.

This war was not one they wanted, but it was years in the making. If they could leave Wizarding Britain, they would, but, alas, they just had too many friends to leave behind. It was unfortunate that most of the people they knew were too attached to the Wizarding World to ever go 'muggle' or even move to a different part of the World. So, they hoped and prayed to their gods, even as they felt the noose pull tight around them.

31 October 1981, Potter Cottage, Godric's Hollow

"It's suspicious James! Why does Albus insist on hiding who the secret keeper is? We've worked out that it's Pettigrew, even if him looking after his mother all the time stops us from confirming it, but we need to know for sure!"

Lily said heatedly as she paced around the sitting room in their Godric's Hollow retreat. The uncertainty was killing her, never mind the fact that she was basically under house arrest with her newborn on a holiday. Albus acting like a chess master was also making her even more suspicious; the best chess masters know that sometimes sacrifice is needed, and Albus radiated an aura of 'For the Greater Good' when he planned things.

"Lily, I agree wholeheartedly with you. And we have confirmed it, or at least Sirius did and he showed me the memories; Peter is the only one able to write out the secret of where we are. But you know how it goes, Albus-the-Mouthful says something, and only evil people say 'What?' to his face. Worm-tail will be fine… Padfoot is watching his back, and Moony is jumping through hoops for the Order, but will be there if he's needed."

James tried to soothe his wife, agreeing with her but trying to keep the peace. He too was frustrated, but he trusted his friends, even if he rarely saw them these days. He too saw that Albus was playing games with their lives, even if he had to push down several years of hero worship to do so.

The argument eventually settled, if not completely to Lily's satisfaction, and they both moved to the crib nearby. Young Hardwin sat back, fascinated by the figures on the mobile floating magically above him. On the lower tier, a menacing wolf chased a dark grim and a large rat around a tree. Above that, a mighty buck pranced after a fierce tiger that stalked through floating lilies. At the top, two birds watched as they winged about; a three-eyed crow and a dual-toned raven. James stared in surprise at the radically different baby toy, while Lily just huffed in amusement at the continued antics of their child.

"He's going to be a transfiguration prodigy like you when he grows up! Look at all the changes his magic does, even when it's restricted. And I'll help you as much as possible along the way!"

The last was said in faux baby-talk as she cuddled Harry to his evident delight. James snapped out of his stupor and smiled lovingly at his family, still incredulous at how he had gotten so lucky.

"While he may be good at transfiguration, he is also a charms prodigy like his mother. Look, the mobile is free-floating where before it was hung up and connected via string! He's going to be good at the levitation charm, as well as the animation charm; Harry is our son, so he has both our talents!"

James walked forward to hug his family, hoping that the domestic heaven they were experiencing would exist forever. Alas, this was not to be.

Feeling a ping on his magic, James reacted immediately by drawing the wand he always carried with him. Before Lily could react, he layered an Arresto Momentum charm on her, then banished her along with Harry to the Nursery and the centre of the ritual.

Lily cried out in fear and resignation, touched with a large amount of anger; they had been betrayed by Peter. One of James's best friends had handed their location to the Dark Lord, and they both had their suspicions that this is what Dumbledore had planned when he made Peter the secret keeper. A loud explosion caused her to snap out of her shock, before the sound of curses and transfigurations flying grew loud.

Lily sobbed even as she ran to place Hardwin in his main crib, grabbling a vial with a mixture of all of their blood along with various other ritual components and catalysts. Careful to not let the tears running down her face interfere with the ritual, she swiftly painted runes along her son's body before covering him with a blanket to hide them. The only one even partially visible was the Sowillo on Harry's forehead. That one she gently covered with the messy fringe he had grown over the year since his birth.

A choking sob tore through her mouth as she heard the dreaded words of the killing curse before the battle raging since she was kicked out of the room behind her fell silent. Turning to face the door, she stealthily cut her palm to bleed on the floor as part of the initial sacrifice the parents must make. She knew James had done so as well, whether by his hand or via a curse during the battle is irrelevant.

She reigned in her emotions as the door disintegrated and Voldemort walked in, the knowledge that her death was imminent imposing a strange state of composure over her. Voldemort sneered at her, his ugly face making the expression so much worse.

"Move out of the way girl and I'll spare your life; one of my followers has asked I grant you this boon, and let it be known that Lord Voldemort can show a minor kindness. My target is the child and you need not waste your talents protecting a corpse!"

Lily's heart sank even as righteous fury rose in its stead; the only reason he would grant a boon would be if the Death Eater had given him very useful information or done something extraordinarily useful, and the only Death Eater who would save her was Snape. Snape had delivered the prophecy to Voldemort and believed that she would abandon her child, be grateful to him for this chance. Her expression grew frosty.

"Not on your life, you subhuman monster!" With her last words, she sprang into action.

For the next 10 minutes she showed she was truly a charms mistress, and charms easily translate to hexes and curses. Voldemort almost caved under the assault, before rallying and pushing back. Finally, he struck, the killing curse lashing out and snuffing out the life of Lily Potter, just as it had done so to James Potter barely 15 minutes before. Victorious, Voldemort snaked forward to claim his immortality.

"And with this, I become Eternal! Such a shame, that my bane is merely a babe. Why I can barely feel his magic; the prophecy might be fake, but why chance it. I'm already here after all. And my other preparations are complete as well."

Turning his wand on the child, Voldemort sneered cruelly as he spat out the 'Avada Kedavra' that would end it all. And immediately things went wrong.

The ritual that Lily and James prepared and performed was a true marvel that would have earned a Mastery in ritual magic had anyone known about it. It would have also gotten them sentenced to the Veil of Death due to the requirements, ingredients and effects of the ritual.

Needless to say, it was a protection ritual at its core, so Voldemort was instantly vaporised as he turned his wand on Harry with deadly intent. The next part of the ritual was to grant continued protection to Harry, so it started making changes to his body to achieve this. This part went wrong.

Voldemort had prepared a ritual of his own, and it was the Darkest wizard ritual possible which just happened to also be targeting Harry, this time as an ingredient. The 2 rituals, already primed and active, clashed fiercely before merging and changing.

Voldemort's ritual was dark, but also weaker, so it was eventually consumed by the Potter's ritual, turning it darker instead of stopping it. This collision took time, however, for they were fuelled with conflicting intents and wouldn't resolve for days. Unfortunately, someone else came along and proceeded to muddle it further.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Grand Sorcerer, Leader of the Light and Founder of the Order of the Phoenix was unbelievably arrogant. He was a magical prodigy, no doubt about that, but he was so arrogant that he developed a god-complex built solely on his conceit. So, when he came across an unfamiliar ritual and noticed the blood around the nursery, he immediately jumped to the conclusion that it was blood wards and protections that had saved Harry.

Not even taking a minute to confirm whose blood was scattered about, he exsanguinated Lily and drew upon his almost non-existent knowledge of blood wards to erect them around Petunia Dursley's house, before dropping Harry off without even a by-your-leave. He then went on to browbeat the magical government into leaving 'Harry James' Potter in his care and solidified his grasp on his pawn.

The addition of blood wards, made with the blood of the initiator of the ritual, added further complications to the already unrecognisable ritual attempting to work on Harry. Taking even longer to resolve into a somewhat stable state, eventually, the ritual found a framework around which the enhancements would base themselves.

And this is where the last complication came about. Because the ritual took so long to stabilise, the protective elements of both the initial ritual and the blood wards were interrupted allowing a sliver of a foreign soul to latch on to the magic and soul of the target. Thus, the ritual paused indefinitely as the protective elements worked overtime to protect their charge from the encroachment of the vile soul fragment.

And so, the years passed with nothing changing beyond Harry's increased regeneration speed granted by the protections to ensure he survived.

November 1981 to May 1998, Great Britain

Life was harsh for Hardwin 'Harry James' Conri Potter growing up with his reluctant relatives. He was worked to the bone, emaciated from being severely underfed, messy in his tattered rags and unkempt hair, and beaten down to the point that he felt worthless.

If he was any worse, he might have taken his own life, because it seemed that nobody cared for him and those that did either stopped or disappeared. But he had a core of steel, one that weathered all the hardships he was facing and kept him going. He also had a warmth that comforted him when he was at his lowest when he had no distractions and he could feel that he was loved. Even if it was in the past.

When he turned 11, he discovered a whole new World… to hate just the same as the normal one. Wizarding Britain was terrible, and he hated that his parents gave their lives for such a detestable place. Discrimination and nepotism were rampant, and the laws were so backwards they were actively sinking back into the stone age instead of progressing.

And above it, all loomed the mastermind; Albus Dumble-fuck. He hoards power and influence that he does nothing with and causes so much grief for everyone while hiding behind his painfully thin veneer of grandfatherly concern. And the masses soak it up because God forbid their living god does something wrong.

For 6 years Harry attended Hogwarts and hated every moment of it. He wasn't stupid, no matter how much the Dursley family tried to convince him he was, he realised that he was dancing to the tune of a puppet master. He was being challenged, shaped, moulded and forged into a weapon, one which he realised was one use before he was expected to die. He followed along though since he truly didn't think he had anything to live for. He actively tried to fail as hard as possible without actually giving up; alas, he seemed to have the luck of the devil and always came out on top.

In his sixth year, Dumble-fuck seemed to croak, though he wasn't sure since it was his lackey that did the deed; Harry was ecstatic that the mastermind was offed, but realised that the bastard had planned even that and beyond so resigned himself to following along an even more convoluted and vague plan. Again, it wasn't as if he had anything to live for. In fact, with the death of his godfather Sirius 'Padfoot' Black, he had even less to live for and figured he might as well join his parents after going out the same way they did; protecting this worthless excuse of a fantasy land from itself for a few decades.

His final year, the year 1997-1998, was bliss for him. Besides the Dumble-fuck sycophants that he was forced to drag through thick and thin, he was gone! Away from the fucking Wizarding World and the inbred hypocrisy. And that's inbred in all contexts available.

He felt like the weight of the World was off his shoulders for once in his life, and he could enjoy his last months in the World free… you know, besides the Death Eaters and snatchers chasing him down, and the mission to find a broken Lich's splintered phylactery. Also found out that he was one as well. In other words, it was better than all his years in Wizarding Britain combined. Because now he finally understands why his life is so shitty and not Neville's, not that he wishes Neville had to deal with this shit. He would fail.

2 May 1998 Great Hall, Hogwarts Castle, Great Britain

It all comes down to this day and this moment in time. 4 a.m. on a Saturday, surrounded by the slave-minions of a 90% insane Dark Lord waiting for death to come. That was Harry's purpose and final destination as planned by Albus Dumble-fuck.

Standing there with his wand sheathed before the 'greatest evil of all time' or some such nonsense, Harry took the time to clear his thoughts as he stared down at the approaching killing light. He thought back a few minutes ago, as he walked through the Forbidden Forest to Tom's base.

~Flashback~

Harry walked to the edge of the forest, before numbly looking down at the open snitch in his hand. This was his last chance, and he realised that he wants to see his parents and uncles before he dies.

3 turns in the palm and it's as if they've always been there.

James Adalwin Potter

Lily Riona Potter nee Evans

Sirius Black III

Remus Ian Lupin

For the first time in a decade, Hardwin sheds a tear. He knows that he wasn't to blame for their deaths and he can't help but curse Albus to the depths of the worst hell imaginable.

"It's okay to cry, my sweet baby boy. Those who have wronged you were monsters, and you were merely the victim of Fate's fickle whims!"

Lily spoke softly as her hand hovered over his cheek in the approximation of a caress. Her eyes radiated a motherly love that he found difficult to accept.

"Your mother is right, as usual. I know that it will be hard to believe, but we all love you unconditionally and are extremely proud of you. Despite your circumstances, you have grown into a fine young man!"

James grinned encouragingly, practically shouting his love and pride for Harry with his every action.

"Prongs and Bast have it right, cub. You've done us proud, and even without that we would still love you."

Sirius grinned roguishly as he stood with Harry, his parents and Remus.

Remus didn't intrude or say anything, but he was there to offer silent encouragement smiling gently as if to say that the words were taken out of his mouth as well.

Harry sniffed as tears streamed down his face, silently accepting the love and encouragement he should have been receiving all along. Drying his tears after a few minutes, he straightened and looked at each member of his family in turn.

"I'll see you on the other side. Save a spot for me, so we can watch this war end together!"

With that, Harry walked resolutely through the forest trailed by the spirits of his family. The Dementors avoided him as if they were blind, and he felt nothing from them as if they were not there at all. Finally, at the edge of the clearing where Tom's base lay, Harry stopped and prepared himself once more.

"Goodbye, and see you soon."

With a final whisper, Harry dropped the resurrection stone and walked into the clearing. If he had looked back, he would have seen the sad smiles they gave him at his words.

~Flashback End~

'Funny, they say your entire life flashes behind your eyes when you're about to die, so why am I only getting the last few moments in slow motion?' The thoughts swirling through his mind were swiftly acknowledged and discarded. Only the most precious were retained, to keep on his way to the afterlife. The smiles of his family, the end of the farce of war, the lifting of the weight of the World off his shoulders; all these things he kept in mind, for they were the motivations that drove him forward.

In this sped up perception he could see all the Death Eaters laughing and jeering at him, their supposed final resistance. He wasn't, Neville knew how to truly end this war for good and promised to see it through. He would succeed because Riddle was weakened. Horcruxes split your soul and power after all, and Riddle was basically operating on 0.78% of his soul and the rest was almost all destroyed. Just Nagini left, with the same fraction there as well.

Not one of the Death Eaters looked regretful or strained in any way to indicate Imperius or coercion. They truly believed they were right. Oh well, when the war is done and the Death Eaters get off scot-free again, this time it won't be Harry's problem. They can fight another war in a few decades by themselves; he just wants his just reward for all the suffering he's endured. Harry smiled in anticipation, no doubt confusing those fast enough to catch it.

And then he Died…