A/N: This is the spiritual successor to my first long story "Before the Dark Time" which I will be removing after I post this. I felt like that my visions for what I wanted my first longer story to be about changed and it just wasn't good enough. I have written an outline for this story and will hopefully be writing a lot more than I was. This story is inspired by several different stories I have read; The Downward Spiral series, Nightmare Man, and other Dark!Harry stories. This will be a Dark!Harry story. Sorry if that isn't your cup of tea. Thanks for reading and please drop a review – Alex.
Harry Potter and the Splinters in Time
Prelude: Grindelwald's Defeat?
March 17th, 1945 – Ludendorff Bridge, Remagen, Germany
Sounds of gunfire permeated the air while German bombs exploded in the Rhine river next to the Ludendorff Bridge. This was the last bridge sturdy enough to allow tanks to enter Germany from the west over the Rhine river. The Allies knew this, Germany knew this, and so did the Magical German Reich. This led Gellert Grindelwald to lead a contingent of German wizards to recapture the bridge and destroy it. It was a hard-fought battle. Many of his finest warriors lay dead or dying on the bridge next to him. However, as he was just to celebrate his victory, the winds changed, and he felt a presence he had not felt in many years…
"DUMBLEDORE! FACE ME!" Grindelwald roared at the air, "ARE YOU SO COWARDLY YOU WOULD LET OTHERS CONTINUE TO DIE FOR YOU?" The wind continued to pick up causing the bridge to rattle from its previous battle damage. The destroyed metal scrapped against itself and created a sort of creepy cacophony also straight out of a horror movie. "Come out, Dumbledore… I know you are here."
There suddenly was a loud bang to the left of Grindelwald which caused the Dark Lord to quickly send a sickly purple spell into a bridge support. He growled to himself as he realized there was nothing there. "You must think me a fool, Albus? Believing that you would never break our blood pact? Ha! I've made plans…" He sent another blood red spell into the mist surrounding the bridge.
A flash of light illuminated the western side of the bridge to which Grindelwald was temporally blinded and looked away, "There you are…" He growled.
"Gellert! I do not think you are a fool! Every man deserves redemption. Lay down your wand and you can atone for your crimes." Dumbledore said once he locked eyes with his former friend. His green eyes meeting steel blue. In an instant, Dumbledore knew Grindelwald's answer, "Then let us begin…"
Grindelwald struck first, his elder and thestral wand glowing as he began a complicated pattern. Soon, both sides of the bridge were obscured with walls of water and he unleashed the torrent onto his opponent. Dumbledore, however, was not slouch either. He easily froze the water, broke it into millions of pieces, and sent it back at the caster.
Grindelwald laughed as he cast a shield that deflected the ice pieces to his left and right. He was quick to shoot off a series of blue, purple, and red spells in reply. Dumbledore easy dodged several before having to shield against the last one which almost impacted his face.
"Gellert, must we be so violent? Surely you didn't mean to send that Bone Shredding curse at me?" Albus cheekily asked as he replied with his own barrage of equally dangerous spells. He continued until Grindelwald himself could dodge no longer and needed to shield himself.
"Ha. All your talk of the light and whatnot is nothing compared to my power! My understanding of magic has doubled since we last met." Grindelwald replied as he transfigured the bridge below Albus in an attempt to trap him. The long tendrils of the bridge soon had a hold of one of Dumbledore's legs and began crushing it. He fell to his knees before sending a cutting curse back at the metal that had entangled him. He soon was freed, however was much worse for wear. His right foot was now broken, severely diminishing his ability to dodge.
"I see. Perhaps it has, but you will not prevail today!" Dumbledore, who was now hobbling towards his enemy sending as many curses at him as he could. One yellow one finally connected with Grindelwald's left shoulder that seemed to have no effect before he dropped to the ground in pain. It was obvious that it was some sort of bone breaking curse, however Grindelwald couldn't remember which one. He spat onto the ground and aimed his wand at his now "charging" enemy as a mist began spraying from it towards Albus.
Dumbledore jumped out of the path of the mist before it impacted him, but only barely. He had seen that one used on the battlefield of the Great War. A brutal death where one would slowly be dissolved into goo. While he was distracted by the mist, Grindelwald sent a red spell into his back. Dumbledore crumpled to the ground screaming in pain from the curse. It was the most intense pain Albus had ever felt. His entire body seemed to be on fire and knives being pushed into his very being.
"I have you now." Grindelwald laughed as he released the Cruciatus curse from his former friend. He slowly stocked to the now twitching man, "You think you could defeat me? The greatest wizard of all time? Has your time at that school made you soft?"
"Not. Yet." Dumbledore spat out before forcing his body to roll out of reach and off the side of the bridge. Grindelwald snarled as he rushed to the side to see if his nemesis had, in fact, hit the water. He wasn't surprised when he heard a pop behind him, indicating that Dumbledore had apparated instead of falling.
"Reducto!" Dumbledore shouted from his new position on the other side of the bridge. He could no longer cast silently as his concentration had be distorted from the pain. Grindelwald cast a backhanded shield and the explosive curse harmlessly splashed against it. "Reducto! Hastam Ignis!" Grindelwald began laughing as the curse smashed against his shield. However, he stopped laughing as Albus' fire spear impacted and sheared a hole through his shield and impacted the right side of his face.
Grindelwald screamed in pain and tried to stop the burning. He shot water out of his wand onto his face as Dumbledore once again began sending more and more curses his way. Bone breaking, blood boiling, explosive spells. He means to end this. He thought as he put up shield after shield as they were quickly being overwhelmed.
Grindelwald took another spell that shattered his knee and tripped to the ground as he was backing up. He shuffled backwards on his bottom before his back was stopped by the metal supports of the bridge...
"This is the end, Gellert. You are under arrest, my Lord." Albus said as he advanced on him. Soon, Albus was standing directly above him with his wand pointing at his head.
"So, this is the end?" Gellert said wistfully as he stared past his old friend, "All this work for me to die on this bridge?"
"You are going to spend the rest of you days in prison, Gellert." Dumbledore replied sadly, "You won't die here…"
Grindelwald shifted his weight causing himself to wince in pain, "I will. I have foreseen it…" He threw his wand farther onto the bridge out of his own reach and beckoned Dumbledore to come closer. His old friend obliged him, but kept his wand trained on his enemy.
"What have you foreseen? You did not seem like you expected defeat earlier…" Dumbledore asked, curious to see whether Gellert was actually telling the truth.
"I have foreseen many things. I saw this war that surrounds us. I tried to prepare for it…" Gellert motioned to the destruction that surrounded them, "But I have also seen your downfall. *he grabbed Albus' shirt and began whispering in his ear* Your actions will create another Dark Lord, one more powerful than both of us combined. There will be nothing you can do to stop him. He will destroy your precious Light and reign over all of Britain and beyond. And I will be by his side…" He laughed mirthlessly as he grabbed a small knife out of his pocket and began pouring all his magic power into it.
"DEINCEPS AD PROXIMUM MAGNA VALEBAT!" Gellert shouted as he stabbed the now glowing knife into his chest and heart. The bridge began to rumble underneath them as Dumbledore quickly escaped Grindelwald's grasp. He stumbled backwards and began to run to the edge of the bridge as Grindelwald himself began to glow. He picked up Gellert's wand before suddenly being thrown off the bridge with terrible force. Dumbledore felt like he spent hours in the air, but as he came down, he saw that the bridge had collapsed into the Rhine. Then suddenly he hit the water…
December 24th, 1987 – Hogwarts
Dumbledore shot up in his bed, breathing heavily. He quickly looked around his room in paranoia before exhaling deeply and laying back down. It had been some time since he had thought about his final duel with Gellert. He had forgotten about it if he was being honest with himself. Voldemort was the one to fit Grindelwald's prophecy, didn't he? But Tom had been defeated, right? It took all of Britain and Harry Potter to defeat him, but they did.
Dumbledore shifted his weight and slowly got out of bed. It was early, but the sun was beginning to come up. It was a cold morning. It had snowed overnight so now Hogwarts was covered in a beautiful blanket of snow. Most of the students were home right now sharing the holidays with their families, but Dumbledore didn't mind. It was nice to roam the halls in silence. He absentmindedly looked at the gadgets near his desk that told him the status of Harry Potter. Everything looked fine to his sleepy mind, so he left to get breakfast… However, he failed to notice that one was no longer functioning and by the time he returned, all but one would be broken.
"HOW DARE YOU USE YOUR FREAKISHNESS! I knew we should have never taken you in!" Vernon Dursley raged at his seven-year-old nephew. Harry had just been returned to the Dursley residence once again by the Surrey Fire Department. He had somehow gotten onto another roof and this time the Fire Department had to have a word with his Uncle about stopping Harry from climbing.
Harry cried and sobbed that he couldn't help it. Dudley and his gang of friends had started another game of "Harry Hunting" and had chased him into a dead-end alleyway, "I just-I just wanted to get away. Please…" He sobbed as he was backhanded by his uncle. He let out a cry of pain and crumped to the ground.
"Good for nothing, FREAK! I should just give you to the Orphanage! How would you like that?" Vernon yelled, as his wife Petunia just looked on, "I think we will. That will solve our problems. Pet? Will you get the Freak a plastic bag to put his clothes in?"
"No! Please! I'll be good! I won't do it anymore, I promise!" Harry cried as he grabbed his Uncle's pants leg. Vernon slapped him again, forcing Harry to let go. Petunia was an obedient wife, so sure all of Harry's belongings were stuffed in a trash bag and thrown into the truck of the family car.
Dudley watched with amusement as his cousin as abused and forced into the backseat of the car. He thought he was going to have a wonderful life now that his freak of a cousin was going away… Harry sobbed as he was forced to buckle his seatbelt and they drove to the local orphanage. It was a long drive, so he tried to reason with his aunt and uncle, but it seemed they weren't listening to him. So, he began quietly looking out the window.
The passed happy families and others as they travelled. Harry wished he could have a happy family. One that cared for him and didn't hurt him. But even the 'happy' families on his block had ignored his bruises and forced labor. Must be that everyone is like my 'family'… Happy on the outside but terrible on the inside… Harry thought bitterly. I will get revenge one day… For a seven-year-old, that was a pretty big thought. Harry didn't know how he was going to do it, but he would get his 'family' back for abusing him…
It was hours later when they pulled up to St. Mary's Orphanage. It was a small white building in the middle of a wide open plain. A surprising nice-looking facility to Harry. There were children outside playing tag and other yard games. Maybe this won't be too bad, Harry thought sadly as his whale of an Uncle retrieved his possessions and threw them onto the sidewalk in front of the orphanage. Vernon then quickly made his way to Harry's door and yanked it open. Harry could see there was an older woman approaching the car, but she was a good 100 meters away. There was a child also approaching the car too.
Vernon unbuckled Harry's seatbelt and yanked to boy out, causing Harry to fall onto the ground with his right hand taking most of the weight. There was a crack as his wrist broke from the fall and Harry began crying again. The woman and child had begun to run as Vernon hurried back to the driver's side and slammed the car into drive, leaving Harry on the side of the road.
The child, who was a boy about his age reach him first, "Are you okay? Who was that man?" He asked kindly.
"My Uncle." Harry replied as he hickuped from crying, "He said he didn't want me anymore… I think my arm is broken from falling."
"It's okay, we'll look at it. I'm sorry…" the boy responded sadly as the Matron finally reached them.
"Filthy people! Leaving a grown child. Hi, my dear, my name is Madam Coons. I guess you are going to be staying with us now?" Harry nodded sadly, "Okay, well let's get you cleaned up, shall we? James, will you take him to the house please?" The other boy nodded as he grabbed Harry's uninjured arm to led him into the house.
"What about my wrist?" Harry whispered to his new friend?
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Let me see it." Harry obediently rolled up his sleave to reveal his injured wrist. James, as Harry now knew was his name, put his right palm over the top of his wrist and put his left palm under his wrist. James closed his eyes and began slowly breathing in and out. Harry was about to say something when James exhaled deeply, and his hands began to glow. Harry's eyes almost bugged out of his sockets until James took his hands away.
"Try it out." He whispered as Harry began twirling his wrist around with no pain. It was almost like new!
"How did you do that?" Harry asked suspiciously.
The boy locked eyes with Harry, steel blue meeting bright green, and intoned playfully, "Magic." He chuckled as he extended his to Harry for a shake, "My name is James, James Lestrange. Like James Bond, but Lestrange."
Harry happily took it and smiled, "I'm Harry Potter. It's nice to meet you."
"Would you like to be friends, Harry? The other children here don't like me much…" James explained as they once again began walking to the house.
"Of course! Why do they not like you?" Harry asked, excited to have his first friend. The Dursley's had never allow him to have friends. Maybe this place wouldn't be too bad.
James smiled happily at his friend, "They are scared of me… The older kids used to bully me, but then one of them fell from the third-floor balcony. They blamed me for it…"
"Did you do it?" Harry asked, he didn't like bullies, but he wasn't sure if they deserved to die.
"No, he just tripped on a toy car that was left there. I was already hated, so I'm an easy target. Hopefully, they will leave you alone." James replied sadly, hoping that Harry wouldn't have to go through what he had, "Maybe we can room together! I have an empty bed because the other kids refuse to be in the same room as me…" Harry nodded absentmindedly as they entered the house. It was filled with other kids, but they all spotted when the two boys entered, "I'll take you the Madam Coons office. She'll probably want to talk to you."
Harry settled into the monotony of orphan life over the next few months. Harry had indeed gotten the bed in James' room, but it wasn't just smooth sailing. He had begun getting mercilessly bullied by Jack Gable and his gang. James had tried to scare them off, but they started coming around when James was busy doing homework or something.
"Harrykins? Where are you?" Jack cooed as hey searched the high grass that Harry was now hiding in. They had chased him for several miles, and they were now a long way from the orphanage. Harry tried to control his breathing so the older kids couldn't hear him, but he was breathing heavily, and his ankle now broken. Harry could hear them getting closer, so he began slowly making his way away from them…
"Found you!" Patrick Jones yelled as he jumped out and grabbed Harry. It was too fast for Harry to get away and he soon found himself held to ground as the other four boys ran to where they were.
"Let go of me!" Harry raged and he tried to wrestle his wrists free from his tormentors grasp.
"The freak can't save you now!" Jack laughed as he towered over Harry and Patrick, "Flip him over and pull down his pants. I have this stick here and I want to see how far it can go up his ass!" Harry's eyes bulged out of his head once he realized what they were planning on doing. He tried to resist even harder but was soon overpowered and flipped. Suddenly, he felt the cold breeze on his bum and could feel Jack begin moving the stick close to his anus. At that moment, Harry wished, no demanded, that he be somewhere safe. He wished he was back in the orphanage in his room. A moment later, Harry didn't feel the breeze anymore. He opened his tear covered eyes and found himself back in his room.
James looked up from his books to see Harry with his pants down and chuckled, "You know I don't swing that way, Harry."
"I wasn't here a moment ago." Harry said, shocked that he had somehow been transported so far.
"I know. I just saw you appear. You don't look to good; you should probably lay down." James replied as he put away the book he was reading, "Lay down, your ankle looks broken. Don't worry, I can fix it." Harry pulled his pants back up and laid down with a wince of pain and James gently placed his palms on Harry's ankle. He breathed in and out for a few moments before his hands began glowing and soon Harry's ankle was fixed.
"I still don't understand how you do that…" Harry said as he looked at his now healed ankle, "I know, magic."
"It is Harry. And you have it too… How do you think you got here if it was not for magic? We are special unlike the filthy animals that we live with." James responded scornfully, looking out the window where he could barely see the figures of Harry's bullies making their way back to the house, "We should do something about Jack. He is a bully. I hate bullies."
"What should we do? He has five more years until he gets to leave." Harry asked as he swung his legs off the side of bed to sit next to James.
"Harry, you trust me, right?" Harry nodded in affirmation, "It wasn't an accident that Jerry died. I wished for him to die and he did. I was just so upset and angry so I just stared at him and wished he would throw himself off the balcony. He did." James looked down at the floorboards for a long time, "I felt bad about it for a long time, but he deserved it. He was an awful person."
Harry rubbed the back of his friend before responding, "They tried to shove a stick up my arse. I think we should do something." James looked up and gave his friend a hug.
"Then let's plan…"
Three days later, Jack was found hanging from his window with a rope made from sheets around his neck. The Matron had just assumed that he had tried to escape during the night and had gotten tangled, a tragedy but an accident. From then on, no one bothered Harry or James.
