Disclaimer: All of this is based upon the lovely J.K. Rowling's work. I own nothing except Salazar's wife, son, and various other original characters. This story is an AU of sixth year, but it will contain a few spoilers from Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows. However, it will still seriously diverge from canon.


"blah": dialogue

'blah': thoughts

"blah" : Parseltongue

"blah": Legilimency/Telepathy

Italics: excerpt from a book /newspaper or any other written form

Bold: a word or phrase that is emphasized

Italics, Underlined, and Bold: location/date of a scene in the story


Chapter Fifteen: …And Everything Came Crashing Down

Number Four, Privet Drive: August 6th, 1996

In the background, the young man heard a strange sound, which was almost like a slight shift of the air. He glanced up momentarily and made sure his wand was in easy reach. After a minute, hearing no other peculiar sounds, he returned to the paper in his hand. But just as he started to read again, he felt a tingling sensation at the base of his neck. It was the very same feeling that told him a wizard was close by. Very close by.

Harry again looked up from his letter. He grabbed his wand and whirled around in his seat.

Albus Dumbledore was standing in his bedroom.

Green eyes widened, taking in the sight of the elderly headmaster with Fawkes the phoenix perched on his shoulder. Harry gazed at both of them for a minute before lowering his wand and tucking it into his pocket.

"Well, hello… Fawkes," Harry greeted the bird pleasantly, standing as the creature flew over and came to rest on his shoulder. "What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting anyone to just drop in on me without an invitation," he gently reprimanded the professor, who actually looked somewhat chagrinned, for showing up unexpectedly and uninvited. "And hello to you as well, Headmaster," Harry finished, offering the man his desk chair. With a flourish, Harry sat on his bed.

"Please forgive me," Fawkes said quietly, "but Albus insisted that we flame-travel into the house instead of outside. I thought that your bedroom would be best as it was the least likely place for the Dursleys to be present."

Harry nodded, understanding what the phoenix had left unsaid. "You think that someone other than the Order is watching the house. You flame-traveled inside so they would be unaware of your visit."

"Why, yes," Dumbledore answered, looking rather impressed by Harry's reasoning. "And I ask you to forgive me as well. It was not my intention to intrude upon you."

The teenager accepted the apology with a slight nod and dropped the subject. He cast his mind about for another topic. His eyes landed on a recent edition of the Daily Prophet and the emblazoned headline.

"So… is it true that Fudge has been replaced?"

The headmaster studied him with interest. "Yes, the Ministry is in a transitional phase. Technically, Scrimgeour is currently in charge, but Cornelius is still in the process of turning everything over."

Harry was silent for a moment, contemplating the repercussions. 'I guess that means most of the plan against Fudge and the Ministry has to be scrapped as it involved getting him out of office. At least, we don't have to worry about him anymore,' he thought to himself and internally smirked. 'The Umbridge parts of it are still good though,' he added, rubbing a finger over the words still etched onto his hand.

Out loud, the teenager asked, "Is the new Minister any better than Fudge? Scrimgeour, did you say? I'm not really familiar him."

Dumbledore considered the question. "He is more active than Cornelius, but I am not sure he will be 'better,' as you say. He, too, shares Fudge's views of wizarding purity and the place of magical creatures in our society. At least, he believes Voldemort has returned. He is taking steps against Tom as we speak. However, I am not sure how beneficial those steps will be."

The young man listened intently, eyes darkening at the mention of Fudge's biased views of magical beings. There was nothing he disliked more than those who believed that pure wizarding blood equated to superiority, an ironic thing considering Salazar's supposed prejudice against Muggleborns and others. Siobhan alone was testament to the absurdity of that rumor.

"Steps, you say… like the pamphlet they sent out?" Harry questioned, mentioning the booklet that had been sent to every magical home. It covered basic principles of how to defend a home and what to do in the event of an attack.

Dumbledore smiled faintly. "Yes, I received one of those as well. It was very informative," he added jovially.

Harry had to fight a snort at the thought. He grinned at the image of the Ministry official who was stupid enough to send Dumbledore, the Defeater of Grindelwald and Frightener-of-Evil-Wizards everywhere, a pamphlet on what to do if Death Eaters attacked. The professor's eyes twinkled as though he knew exactly what Harry was thinking.

His student grinned even wider in response, but he quickly sobered. "What else has been happening?" Harry asked in a quiet voice.

The twinkle disappeared.

"There have been attacks. Not many but attacks still," Dumbledore stated simply. "There were several fatalities, but a few others have survived." There was something in his manner that said members of the Order were included in the list of victims.

"Which Order members?" Harry softly questioned, looking at the older man very intently.

Dumbledore sighed. "Emmeline Vance and her husband were attacked and killed in early July at their home. As you may not know, she worked in the Goblin Liaison Office, so she was issued a Portkey by the Ministry. However, it had a limit on the mass that could be transported. It was just enough for their three small children." He shook his head sadly before continuing. "Jay and Beatrice Macabee – I don't believe that you met them – were killed while on assignment. Their bodies were dumped at the entrance of Knockturn Alley," the old professor added with a very strange expression. The professor shifted in his chair, a faraway look in his eyes.

After a moment, he glanced back at his pupil. "Madam Bones…"

Harry's eyes widened at the name.

Dumbledore paused to incline his head. "Yes, the same one from your trial, Harry." The headmaster peered at him over his half-moon glasses. "She was attacked at her home, but she – like the Vances – was issued a Portkey. She was hit by a stray curse just as she was pulled away and is currently in St. Mungo's. However, they expect her to make a full recovery in a few weeks." He continued to gaze at Harry. "The rest are people you are not familiar with. A few are relatives of your schoolmates, but none who you know particularly well," he finished solemnly.

The young man contemplated the information. "Have the families of any of the DA members been threatened?" he inquired with thinly concealed dread. At the headmaster's negative shake of his head, Harry went on, "Some of the Inquisitorial Squad with connections to the Death Eaters might know the identities of our members. They had access to the list through Umbridge," he elaborated a second later.

"Hm… we will need to warn them. They might not be aware that they are in danger," Dumbledore said thoughtfully.

Harry nodded. "I've already mentioned it to Hermione. She has been writing to all of them. I thought that if I wrote and sent it out that it would be more likely to be intercepted as Hedwig is very recognizable," he explained at the old man's interested expression. "As far as I know, all have replied that they received and appreciated our warning." He watched Dumbledore, gauging his reaction to the statement.

Once again, the professor seemed impressed. "A wise thing to realize that, Harry." He looked at the younger man with increasing interest.

Harry gave him a slight smile. "And what of Voldemort?" he finally asked, belly twisting ever-so-slightly.

Dumbledore inhaled. "We don't know much. Have you had any visions at all? Anything that might be a vision?"

"No, no visions. I've been practicing Occlumency," Harry answered honestly enough, leaving out the part where he actually knew how to do it now thanks to his memories as Salazar. "It seems to be working."

The professor took the statement with a nod of understanding. "That is very good, Harry. You need to practice. Perhaps later, if you are amenable, we could test your shields?"

Harry thought about it for a moment before nodding an affirmative.

Dumbledore went on, "As for Tom, all we know is that he is searching for something, a magical artifact of great power. It is called the Phoenix Gate."

Thanks to Fawkes' forewarning, Harry was not surprised by the information and was able to conceal his knowledge of the Gate. Still he was fascinated nonetheless.

"Interesting. What does he want it for?" he inquired, managing to sound both neutral and innocent.

Dumbledore steepled his fingers. "We still aren't entirely sure. We have several members researching the abilities of the artifact as we speak. From what we do know, it is a powerful magical object, utilized for time travel. Much like a Time Turner in that regard." He paused, letting the information sink in. "However, it is capable of going much farther into the past. Days, weeks… perhaps even months and years."

"Such a thing would be very dangerous in Tom's hands," Harry commented.

The older man peered over his glasses. "Yes, it would. Very dangerous indeed. That is why we are also searching for it."

Harry thought for a moment before adding, "Is there anything else?" He idly tapped his chin with his forefinger.

"Nothing that we know of, but there are undoubtedly several other things he is involved in. We just aren't aware of them at the moment," the headmaster added, face distant for a heartbeat.

Harry sniffed thoughtfully and moved onto the next topic. "So when am I leaving here?"

If Dumbledore was surprised at all by the change of subject, he didn't show it. "Tomorrow. I wanted to take you today, but Molly Weasley insisted that she come to fetch you. She won't be able to until tomorrow. She had Order responsibilities today."

The teenager tilted his head, a grin briefly tugging at his lips. "I guess that means I should pack," he allowed thoughtfully as he glanced around, noting his school things were surprisingly in neat stacks about his room. He turned back to the professor. "Was there anything else you wished to discuss?" he asked, voice cool and very distant.

Dumbledore was slightly put out. "There were several other things I wished to discuss with you, Harry."

"Really? I think that we've covered everything important," Harry responded with certainty. He made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

The old man breathed out slowly. "I think I know what this is about, my boy. I know why you are trying to get rid of me, even when we have important things to talk about." He studied his student intently. "You want to avoid this discussion." He tapped the desk with his fingers before steepling them again. "I know that I have used you, Harry. I know that I have broken your trust and manipulated your situation, not for your own benefit but for that of others. And for that, I will be forever sorry." Dumbledore sighed once more before continuing. "You were entrusted to me by your parents in the event that both they and Sirius were unable to care for you, did you know that?"

"I suspected," the teenager answered after a minute, trying not to squirm in his seat. He really didn't want to talk about this now… or ever. He just wished that the Earth would choose this moment to open up and swallow him.

The older man nodded. "I thought you did." He clarified at Harry's expression, "You have never questioned the fact that I had your vault key, which I gave to Hagrid. Or the fact that it was within my power to leave you with the Dursleys."

The younger man had to fight a scowl at the mention of his relatives.

Dumbledore hesitated but went on, "Though they are your caretakers, I am your magical guardian and have say in all transactions in the wizarding world."

Harry inclined his head in understanding, settling in his seat. If he had to be here for this discussion, at least he could have all of his questions answered.

"I never questioned before because I asked Mr. Weasley about it once, during the summer of my second year. He was the one that told me that you were most likely my magical guardian since the Dursleys wouldn't understand the workings of the wizarding world, and he thought my parents would appoint someone that did." Harry paused to look at Dumbledore shrewdly. "Is that why you're inquiring about my financial status?"

Albus seemed startled for a moment. "Yes, it is. May I ask how you know?"

Harry smirked, an expression oddly reminiscent of his much loved Potions professor. "Fawkes."

Dumbledore glanced at the bird, who currently wore a guilt-free expression. "Ah, yes." The professor flexed his fingers but kept them together. "I have been looking into your financial information due to the fact that the record I have is incomplete. There were references to materials not present, so I concluded that part is missing… or that it had been removed," he explained. "I suspect that it was done by your parents in case Sirius was incapacitated and I was overruled. They did it in case you were placed with other, less scrupulous people. Those who wouldn't hesitate to take your money should they learn of it."

"Like the Dursleys?" Harry questioned with a hint of some nameless emotion.

The old man grimaced weakly. "Yes," he replied frankly, "but that was if they were your complete guardians. In charge of you in both worlds – magical and Muggle. In such an event, they would have full disclosure of your financial status. However, since they are only your partial guardians, I wasn't required to disclose the information."

Dumbledore actually smirked, as did Harry. Both were undoubtedly thinking about how much money the headmaster's actions had denied the Dursleys. If they had been his complete guardians, they would have been aware of the money. And they would have taken it.

Harry considered that statement for a moment. "But that still doesn't explain why you were interested in my finances," he carefully stated.

The elderly man frowned. "Last year with the Ministry and the way they were trying to discredit you--"

Harry interrupted him as he realized the professor was speaking of something he had already contemplated. "You thought that Fudge might try to take my inheritance. Or that he was stealing part of it, at the very least."

"Yes," Dumbledore responded simply. "Since Cornelius was no longer in awe of you and also rather angry, he might have resorted to taking your money or threatening to in order to quiet you. Such things have occurred before."

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, pondering the implications of that comment. Harry sat, lost in thought and looking out the window. On the other hand, Fawkes chirped to himself, preening his feathers. Meanwhile, the headmaster removed his glasses and cleaned them with a wave of his hand.

Finally, Albus spoke again. "I believe that is enough about money for now. You undoubtedly have questions about other matters."

Harry nodded, reluctantly continuing. "Yes, I do. Peachy, the house-elf… Did you really think I would harm myself?"

"I thought it possible." Dumbledore inhaled very slowly. "You were very angry last I saw you. I feared that the anger would turn to depression coupled with the events of June. I thought that it would be best if someone watched over you. Someone other than the Order members, who were staying outside. I needed someone inside the house." And he genuinely seemed contrite when he said, "I am truly sorry that I invaded your privacy, but I do not regret it for a moment. I had no other way of knowing."

Harry accepted the apology with a sniff. "You could have asked," he put in, looking at the headmaster.

A grimace crossed Dumbledore's face. "I didn't think that you would want to speak with me, not after the last time we spoke."

It was Harry's turn to grimace. "I can see why you would think that. I'm sorry for destroying your office, by the way." He gazed into the older man's eyes. "It was wrong of me to take my anger out on you. It wasn't your fault about Sirius. That was Bellatrix and Voldemort."

Dumbledore accepted the apology quietly.

Harry continued to look at him before he carried on the earlier discussion. "Is that the reason you asked both Moody and Tonks to spy on me?"

"Yes," he responded. "I assume that Fawkes told you about that as well."

Harry smiled in an affirmative.

"I thought as much." The professor paused for a moment. "I know that I made a mistake with that decision, but please know that no matter what I have done, I have always tried to do the best for both you… and the wizarding world. But oftentimes, what was best for everyone else was not best for you."

Harry attempted to speak, but the headmaster raised his hand and silenced him. "Please, hear me out." He shifted in his seat and turned to face the teenager more fully. "I had to make many decisions after Tom was originally defeated. I had to determine how best to put the wizarding world back together, and I had to prepare for any repercussions from his defeat. Yet, most importantly, I had to decide what to do with you. I knew the prophecy and that Voldemort was not truly gone." Dumbledore shifted in his chair and leaned forward. "I knew that you were needed to defeat him for the final time and that you were in danger in the wizarding world. If I placed you with a family, there was a chance that they were secret followers of Voldemort or that they might be attacked to get to you. Also, I couldn't be sure that any protections placed on them would hold. Please remember that the Fidelius charm failed for your parents because of their Secret Keeper. I had no way of knowing if the Keeper chosen was honestly with us."

"You could have been the Secret Keeper," Harry replied, not at all reluctant to voice his opinion.

"Yes," the professor responded, "but please remember, Harry, I am an old man. I had no way of knowing how long I would live. If I had died, then the charm would have fallen. It is the nature of the spell to fail if the caster dies, and I would have trusted no one else to cast it." Albus ran a hand through his beard absentmindedly, murmuring something to himself.

Nevertheless, he snapped out of it in an instant and stated clearly, "All that was left was the blood protection. Your mother died to save you. Voldemort spilled her blood, figuratively speaking. Ultimately, it was her blood that defeated him. Her blood in you," he clarified softly. "So I could use that blood to protect you, and that meant the Dursleys; they were the only ones left. Your maternal grandparents were already dead by then, killed in an auto accident just months after your parents married. The next closest relatives were distant cousins, and they were so removed that you aren't even legally related. The protection wouldn't have worked with them anyway, so it had to be Petunia."

Harry sighed and turned away. "But why did you never check on me? Did you know that I used to sleep in a cupboard?" he questioned, heat rising in his tone before suddenly fading away.

"I only discovered that fact later, much later." The headmaster exhaled. "You were already a student at Hogwarts by then."

"Why didn't you check up on me?" Harry asked again, his voice completely neutral as though he wasn't doing anything more personal than commenting on the weather.

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a minute before opening them. "It was part of our agreement when the Dursleys took you in. I was to keep all magical people, including myself, away from both them and you. I was not to knowingly have contact with you until it was time for you to go to Hogwarts." He gazed at Harry intently, something strange passing through his eyes. "Petunia knew enough about the wizarding world that she made me agree to a magically binding contract. There was a loophole, however. The key word in the contract was magical. As such, I could have a non-magical person watch over you."

"Mrs. Figg," Harry breathed, his voice still even.

"Indeed. I have known her since she was a toddler. Her family all attended Hogwarts, and one of her daughters and her husband were killed by Voldemort in an attack at their family home. Arabella was gravely injured but recovered. I knew that I could trust her to watch over you, even if she would have only tenuous contact at best." Albus gave a sad sigh. "Further, even if she found anything, she could only involve Muggle authorities because of the contract. Since she was acting as my agent, the contract extended to include her."

The young man remained silent.

Dumbledore exhaled weakly. "I know that this was not the best arrangement; it basically gave the Dursleys free and unchecked reign over you, but it was the only option. Anything else, and I am not entirely certain that you would not be alive today. There were just too many variables to consider." He breathed out heavily then, and Fawkes let out an inquiring chirp that he ignored. "I know that you are angry with me, Harry, and you have every right to be. I tried and failed to protect you. The Dursleys hurt you badly, and it is as much my fault as it is theirs. You may doubt that I was working in your best interest, and you may doubt that I have told you the truth about the matter." He hesitated for a second, his aged hands clenching. "But please don't doubt that I love you. Yes, I have made mistakes, many of them unforgivable." Albus whispered the words, "I am only human; I don't have all the answers."

Harry's eyes went wide, and he sucked in a heavy breath on the old man's pronouncement. No one in this life had ever before told him that they loved him, at least not that he could remember. The teenager was sure that his parents had said it, but those memories weren't among the ones he could now recall. He fleetingly remembered that Dumbledore had mentioned it in his office after the Ministry fiasco, but Harry had been far too angry and hurt at the time for the words to have any meaning.

Instinctively, the young wizard reached out with his latent Empathy gift, courtesy of his life as Salazar, and found the headmaster. Harry almost recoiled when he connected with the old headmaster, quite shocked by what he had found.

The professor felt strange, his emotions churning. There was a fierce desire to protect, which seemed to override everything, blazing through to the very surface of his thoughts. And it was coupled with a peculiar sort of pride, almost parental in its intensity. Regardless, it was the third emotion that surprised the teenager the most, and he couldn't quite understand the bizarre longing in the headmaster's heart. Yet, perhaps the most intriguing fact of all was that these three feelings, along with numerous others, were all directed at him. At Harry.

Dumbledore truly did care for him. And far more deeply than his words alone could describe.

"What about my time at Hogwarts?" the younger man asked, brushing a faintly shaking hand over his face.

The headmaster shifted in his seat, but he didn't answer immediately.

"You were preparing me, weren't you?" Harry questioned when he didn't receive a reply.

Dumbledore actually looked ashamed. "Yes, I had no other option; the prophecy needs to be fulfilled. I attempted to make it as gentle as I could." His voice was weary now and so full of regret. "I didn't intend for you to protect the Philosopher's Stone or for you to fight the Basilisk. I just wanted you solve the mysteries. And while I did send you to save Sirius, I kept Fudge and the Aurors at bay at the same time. I couldn't get you out of the Tournament because – even though you didn't enter yourself – Crouch acted as your agent. The contract was binding. And last year…" Dumbledore hesitated.

And it was Harry who provided the answer. "It was just one disaster after another, most of which you didn't plan or intend at all," the reborn Slytherin said simply.

"Yes, that describes the previous year rather accurately," Albus asserted with a helpless air.

Harry narrowed his emerald eyes. "And what of me in relation to the wizarding world?"

Dumbledore wouldn't meet his gaze. "I had to do the best for them. I had to protect them. I had to save them."

The teenager interrupted Albus before he could continue, "So you would sacrifice me to do it?" Green eyes bored into blue. "You would sacrifice one innocent to save ten thousand damned. What a great man you truly are," Harry added the last with a fair amount of sarcasm and contempt.

Dumbledore looked taken back. "Harry, it wasn't like that," he stated forcefully, showing an emotion other than regret or sadness.

"Oh, really. How was it then?" His voice wasn't steadily rising. On the contrary, it was lowering. "To me, it sounds as though you were prepared to sacrifice me, my life, to save those bloody bastards. You know, the same ones who were too cowardly to stop Tom in the first place. The same ones who would rather pretend that the problem didn't even exist," his voice dropped to a whisper. He spoke calmly, but his words were filled with venom. His eyes flashed and filled with power.

And in that moment, Albus looked as though he desperately wanted to cry. "I was just… I just… I was trying to do the best for everyone. I did the best I could, but it wasn't enough," he finished in an incredibly small voice.

From the corner, Fawkes silently watched. Just as he had for most of the conversation. His heart was breaking in that instant. Albus sounded so very tired.

Harry, too, must have sensed the headmaster's situation because his expression softened slightly. He spoke again, this time with a gentler tone.

"But it wasn't enough." The sixth-year exhaled then. "No, it wasn't." Harry paused for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts. "You were the only one doing anything. You were the only one, and you were responsible for everyone else. They wouldn't help you, would they, the other wizards? They just expected results." He breathed out and stared at the floor.

Dumbledore nodded, remaining completely silent, as though he had no idea what to say.

The teenager inhaled. "And when you couldn't deliver, they became angry. Angry that they didn't have their perfect, little world. Angry because they believed that you had failed them. Did they even realize that they were the failures?"

The older man shook his head and fought the lump that was forming in his throat. "No, they did not realize. And they still haven't. Even after all this time." Albus whispered, "But I realized that I've failed. I have failed you so very badly, my dear boy. I tried," he murmured, "and failed. But I had the very best of intentions. I tried so hard--"

Harry's head snapped up, and he stared at the other man. "As one very wise Muggle once said: 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.'"

Dumbledore looked as though he had been slapped. He instantly deflated, closing in on himself.

Hesitating, the old man nodded. "And it is nothing but the truth," he whispered more to himself than to Harry. He glanced at the teenager imploringly. "Please, Harry. Please just give me a chance. I want a chance to make it better. I know that I can never make it up to you, but I can try. That is all I am asking." Dumbledore pleaded, looking as though his very soul depended on the younger man's answer.

Harry just stared at him, unsure of what to say. On one hand, he knew that the professor had tried to do the best for everyone, though he had failed dismally when it came to Harry himself. Yet, the man had still tried, which was more than anyone else had ever done. Nevertheless, on the other hand, Dumbledore had manipulated the situation and him as well. Sure, the man was trying to save an entire culture, but it was their fault they were in the situation in the first place.

The teenager sighed, still not knowing what to do. Manipulation could be forgiven. He should know as he himself had used it many times, in both of his lives. Yet, manipulating children and those you loved was different than doing it to people who actually deserved it. Dumbledore had used him; yes, that was true. The headmaster had used others he loved also. Even if he had had the best of intentions, he still used people who trusted and believed in him to further his own ends. No matter how noble those ends were, it was still wrong to control those entrusted to you. It was even worse to manipulate children placed in your care because they had no say in the matter. They had no other options, if they even realized the manipulations at all.

Harry shook his head and again looked at the elderly professor, green eyes staring into blue ones once more. There was something about him, something so very familiar.

An image flashed in his mind, a memory from the Phoenix Gate. Face tightened in sudden understanding. And he looked at Albus Dumbledore in near wonderment.

The reborn Slytherin simply stared at the man, looking as though his entire world had just changed in an instant. And in many ways, it just had. Harry simply gaped, wishing to be frozen in that moment forever, to be caught in that moment of revelation and sudden understanding. So many things, which mere seconds ago were beyond comprehension, now made complete sense.

"Harry, my boy… Harry?"

He heard a voice in the distance and instantly came back to himself. He immediately noticed that a pair of eyes was mere inches from his own. A wrinkled hand was on his shoulder, shaking him. Apparently, he had been distracted long enough for the headmaster to become worried.

Harry inhaled deeply and noted the scent of the older man. He smelled like lemons and parchment mixed with magic.

"Alright," Harry said after a heartbeat, looking up at the man he had come to love as a grandfather. He sniffed again, and the scent of citrus became almost overwhelming.

"Pardon?" Dumbledore asked, now rather confused. He gazed at his student intently, as though he feared Harry had become befuddled.

"I said alright." The teenager hesitated, unsure of how to continue. "You can have your chance."

For the first time in a long time, Albus Dumbledore smiled.


Kudos to Lady Cretin for her awesome guesses.

And here are some subtle hints, some not so subtle hints, and some interesting things for you all to think about: Sirius will show up again but not how we are expecting. Ginny has a past incarnation, and why doesn't anyone guess with her? Bellatrix is pregnant, and her husband isn't the father. The baby won't be a Lestrange. The current incarnation of Tristan has to be related to Luna somehow since souls travel in family lines, and as such, he might have similar abilities to Siobhan's clan.

Also, there are Heirs of Gryffindor, but Godric never married or had children. Remember that an heir doesn't necessarily mean a descendant. Harry did pull Godric's sword from the Hat, but he is not an heir. Harry is a descendant of the Slytherin line, meaning that he and Tom have to be, at the very least, distantly related. But we don't know on which side of Harry's family.

To everyone who reviewed: Thanks!

Special thanks to Hobbit-Tabby for the beta.

Chapter Sixteen: From the Ashes


Ever Hopeful,

Azar

Updated and Edited:

06/06/08