Disclaimer: Please see Chapter Zero, if you need to be refreshed on this one.
Author's Notes: Reviews? Why yes, thank you, I do appreciate those! They make me happy, which makes me write faster. Teehee.
o.o.o.o
31 October, 1981
9:15 PM
With Sirius's memories locked safely in the Headmaster's Pensive, surrounded by charms to prevent their being altered by the effects of time travel, the two men went over Sirius's plan again. Neither was completely pleased with it, after Dumbledore had changed a few things, but they had no choice at this point.
"... And you're absolutely sure that young Harry vanquished Lord Voldemort?" queried Dumbledore, frowning thoughtfully. He continued after Sirius nodded, "It was definitely him?"
"Definitely, Headmaster," Sirius averred. "It was just the two of them at that point, I'm sure of it, so Lily or James couldn't have done it."
"Very well." Dumbledore sighed, and Sirius almost felt bad for having brought this information back with him. "Do as you wish. But please, be careful. Until we can be sure that Lord Voldemort is dead, Harry is very important."
Sirius nodded solemnly. "I know. Don't worry, I'm his godfather. I'll take care of him."
"See that you do."
°
31 October, 1981
9:29 PM
It seemed his inside information was proving much less useful than he'd expected. The house was apparently empty.
Without the Fidelus Charm to protect them -- Pettigrew had been telling the truth about being their Secret Keeper and where they were, of that he was sure -- the Potters couldn't be too hard to track down. Lord Voldemort sneered, mind already whirling through possible places they might have fled to.
Down the hallway, in the nursery, a baby wailed.
Ah ha.
°
31 October, 1981
9:30 PM
Peter Pettigrew was terrified. He'd been dismissed by the Dark Lord after giving up the secret to the Potter's location. He'd gone home, as he'd planned to, but Albus Dumbledore was waiting for him.
And somehow, he already knew about Peter's betrayal.
°
31 October, 1981
9:32 PM
Lord Voldemort had suspected a trap, but the only thing he saw when he reached the source of the plaintive cries was a dark-haired, green-eyed toddler. Little Harry didn't seem to have noticed the arrival of the evilest man alive. He lay there and cried, apparently wanting his parents.
Even after looking around twice, Lord Voldemort didn't see anyone else. There was no-one hiding behind any of the furniture, waiting to spring out at him. He smiled an evil, snaky smile. This would be easier than he thought, after all.
Lord Voldemort pointed his wand at the child crying in his crib.
As soon as the wood was leveled at him, Harry stopped wailing. He turned his head, and his green eyes focused on the Dark Lord curiously.
Lord Voldemort laughed.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Somewhere in a different time, Lily Potter screamed and stood firmly in front of her son. But in this time, there was nothing between the bawling baby and the Dark Lord.
Green filled the room.
A body fell against the railing of the crib. Somewhere in a different time, someone laughed a cold, pleased laugh.
°
31 October, 1981
10:03 PM
Lily and James were waiting tensely in the Headmaster's private chambers. Sirius had told them that the Dark Lord would be attacking at 9:30, and that was a half an hour ago. Sirius himself was out taking care of things, and for one reason or another he needed to have Harry with him.
Just the thought that Harry was out there somewhere without his parents made Lily uneasy. And that he was with Sirius...
"I hope he knows what he's doing," mumbled Lily, her arms wrapped around her middle. She leaned against her husband, who was leaning against the wall.
"Don't worry, he has-- Sirius would never let anything happen to Harry," James assured her gently, though he was less certain than he sounded. "Sirius loves him, too."
Lily glanced at the clock for the fifth time in three minutes. She sighed. "Shouldn't they be back by now?"
"Perhaps. We don't know what Sirius is up to," which wasn't really a pleasant thought. James went on quickly. "Besides. Albus agreed to this plan of his. Albus would never put Harry in danger."
"Yes," Lily agreed.
There was nothing else to say.
°
31 October, 1981
10:12 PM
He'd seen the flash of green light through the curtains and his whole body had tensed. That had been almost forty minutes ago, and he hadn't moved since -- he wasn't even sure if he'd been breathing.
He heard himself approaching from the other side of the house, creeping through the bushes.
"Well?" he demanded, as soon as he was within earshot. "Anything?"
"Not for ages," he told himself, settling into a crouch next to the other, more beat up man. Both of them sighed. "The wards went down, though; he could have just apparated out after... you know."
The first man, older by a few hours than his double, cursed viciously. "The light, you mean."
"Yeah." For a few minutes, Sirius sat and stared at himself staring at the house. When he'd shown up on his doorstep earlier that evening, he'd been suspicious at first. But then the other Sirius had explained things, and said a few things that Sirius had never told anyone about, and now... well, Sirius supposed he had no choice but to trust himself.
"All right," announced Sirius the mastermind, interrupting the reverie of his other self. His mouth was set in a grim line, his lips barely moving as he spoke. "I'm going to check on him. Coming?"
"As if I'd trust you in there on your own."
They entered the house as quietly as they could and paused just over the threshold, listening. After a full minute of no noise, they continued cautiously through the foyer and past the living room.
Every room they past was empty and silent, until at last there was only one room left unchecked.
When they got into the nursery, their eyes instantly went to the dead body -- it was the only thing they saw for several minutes. Sirius the younger gave a bloodcurdling scream, already feeling his body shut down as he went into shock. He crumpled to the floor, still staring. The expression on the face of the older Sirius was unreadable.
"Interesting."