Peter Pettigrew knew things had fallen into disarray when he had handed over the secret to the fidelius charm over to the Dark Lord. Lily and James dead. Their son left motherless and fatherless. Yet in his heart of hearts, he knew if the Death Eaters came knocking again, he would renounce his friends again without remorse.
Making his way clandestinely throughout Godric's Hallow, he arrived at his intended destination. The last time he had been here, however the door hadn't been blown apart and the house had been unplottable.
Not desiring to make any more noise lest Dumbledore or Sirius find out about his treachery, he concentrated and were a portly man with a mullet had once stood was now a small rat. Squeezing into through the gaps in the fence, he was now at the edge of the Potter garden. Running through the garden, and passing the unhinged door, he saw the lifeless cadaver of James Potter, one of his best friend.
With a pop, the rat was replaced once more back into man, stifling a sob, Peter made his way up the stairs. With each step, the air progressively grew hotter. Pettigrew was practically drenched in sweat as he reached the landing to the nursery. The door was ajar.
He stepped through the threshold only for the tears in his eyes to turn into steam, clouding his vision, he stumbled into the room, screaming himself hoarse. Karma worked in mysterious ways, Peter ended up slipping on the Grim teddy dog that Sirius had gotten his godson. That wasn't the least of Pettigrew's concerns. For he landed in the same spot his master had fallen. The spot covered in hungry, enchanted, dark flames.
Luckily for him, it was at that moment a flash of fire blossomed into existence. The flame dissipated soon enough, only to reveal Albus Dumbledore with his phoenix perched on his maroon robes. Behind half-moon spectacles, the old wizard had already surveyed the room. With a deft swish and flick, he switched Peter's clothes for the only candidate given the room's burnt parameters. Lily Potter's lifeless body.
As the red-headed women burnt, Albus cast a vast array of healing charms on Pettigrew's charred corpse. Every inch of his skin was darkened and blistered. Pus oozing at irregular intervals, his mullet hairstyle completely burnt away.
With a gentle nudge from Dumbledore, Fawkes flew over and cried two tears into Pettigrew's empty eye sockets. Shivers began to rake his form as Peter awoke from the rejuvenating aspects of the phoenix tears, he started to scream and rip his flesh off. Bits of sinew and muscle began to peel off, yet the headmaster made no move to stop him from further damaging himself.
"What happened here?" The headmaster wandlessly used legilimency to gleam flashes of memories.
Lily and James sitting down with him and Sirius, words spoken.
The dark mark found outside his house, his mother gagged and blindfolded as burly, cloaked men entered. The skeletal masks they wore shone with malice.
Kneeling before the Dark Lord, being in awe of the power under his command. Desperately desiring to make himself that powerful as well. Divulging the secret and damning the Potters.
The headmaster dispelled the legilimency probe as he shook his head in disgust. With a wave of his wand, he banished Pettigrew back into the gaping maw of the dark flames, his screams echoing throughout the destroyed cottage before silencing abruptly.
Dumbledore channelled his magic through the Elder Wand and compressed the flames as best as he could. Even when using the Death stick, the flames refused to submit and be deprived of life. However, the headmaster wasn't a normal wizard. Using his wand, he drew a series of Norse and Celtic runes across the perimeter of the ravenous flames, slamming his wand down, the runes began to glow with a nimbus of green light, the flames began to shrivel and shrink as the suction on the runes increased in tempo.
His job done, he stowed his wand back into the folds of his robes, before making his way cautiously to the crib. Fawkes occasionally breaking out into song.
"Oh, that can't be right."
Dumbledore glanced down at the crib, what he saw was Harry James Potter bleeding freely from both eye sockets. His skin a deathly pallor.
"Fawkes! Take him to the hospital wing! Tell Poppy he needs emergency treatment! If it looks like he won't make it, give him some of your tears, my old friend!"
Phoenix and old man stared into each other for what seemed like an age before the bird dipped his head in acquisition, and using its talons to scoop the child up. With a flash of fire, they were gone. Leaving the headmaster to pick up the pieces to this broken family.
From his pocket, the headmaster withdrew a shiny orb with motes dancing inside of it. The reason why he wasn't here tonight with the Potters. Maybe if he had been, the Dark Lord wouldn't have dared to attack and this family might still be whole.
Like Ariana and Gellert, he was only human, mistakes were things he did frequently. And the past was something he couldn't let go of.
For in his hands was the first prophecy pertaining the boy he had just sent to the hospital ward. One he hadn't dared tell his parents.
Death can be a means to peace,
Freedom wrought by a silent beast,
Rather rubies of blood stain a single blade,
Than armies of god from existence fade,
A phantom presence moves with dire intent,
Never disrupts those he can circumvent,
And then, like a shadow, he strikes from on high,
A lissom mirage, whose eyes do not lie.
To dispatch a life, without pause or remorse,
Carving flesh from bone with impious force.
An ironic fate to sow love through fear,
To provoke our demons then disappear.
So agents of anarchy, know your time draws near
For you live by the grace of the Sharingan.
Some of the terminology eluded his understanding, he was a learnt man after all, but even he had his limits and the end phrase of the prophecy was something he had been attempting to decipher before word of the Potters being attacked had reached him.
He was also now finally certain that this prophecy was about the Potter heir. After all it had glowed in response to Voldemort's attack.
Was he troubled by the contents of the first prophecy? He could honestly say he was. He would not divulge it to the boy, lest he be succumbed to the lulls of feeling entitled and taking lives. Tom had done the same, and look at how he turned out. No, he would be extra cautious with Harry Potter.
"Poppy, how is he?"
The healer stood up to greet him, he could see the squareness of he shoulders, she was tired.
"He's stabilised Albus, his magic fluctuated but after Fawkes bestowed some of his tears it reoriented himself."
"And what of his eyes?"
"They're..."
"What Poppy? What are they!?"
"I'm afraid, whatever spell He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named cast, has left Mr Potter blind..."
Albus staggered back as if physically struck. Blind... Lily and James Potter sired a whole and healthy boy and now fate had cruelly delivered him a bad hand.
"Poppy, are you certain?"
The matron nodded her head sadly. "I'm positive Headmaster."
"Very well." And with his dues said, Dumbledore pointed his wand at the healer's face and mentally intoned 'obliviate.'
His job done, the headmaster gently picked up the toddler, cradling him to his chest, he exerted his authority over Hogwarts wards, turned on the balls of his feet, and disapparated with a inaudible pop.
He reappeared to crisp November air. Surrey to be precise.
From his trouser pocket, one hand balancing Harry, the other reached deep inside, all the way to the elbow before withdrawing with a silver shaped lighter. An object of his very own design. With a click, light from the surrounding light posts were extinguished.
One of his tasks done, Dumbledore made his way to 4 Privet Drive, and carefully deposited the child by the doormat. With a wave of his wand, the headmaster cast a warming charm. Tucking his wand in his robes, he replaced it with a yellow parchment. Placing it on the boy's chest, Dumbledore disapparated with another inaudible pop. Just before he left, the stolen light from his device returned to the light posts.
The inhabitants of the house wouldn't realise they had an impromptu parcel until they awoke in the morning.
Dumbledore arrived at his office, sitting on his chair, with both hands on his head, he massaged his growing headache. Keeping Sirius from Harry would be detrimental if he lied. Discarding stratagems where he would refuse to share what he knew, Dumbledore opted to tell Lord Black the truth. If he could find him first. Giving a knowing look to his familiar, Fawkes vanished in a trail of fire.
Finally placing his head in his arms, Dumbledore closed his eyes. Now, it was a waiting game. Both for Fawkes to hopefully turn up with Sirius and Harry Potter to return to Hogwarts eleven years from now, whole and happy.
AN:
Not much of Itachi/Harry this chapter, he'll return- next chapter.
Dumbledore in this story is similar to the Doctor from Doctor Who. He can be a grandfather figure, but he can also be someone that does what needs to be done. He gave his second chance to Grindleward and Tom and they messed up. He won't proffer it to anyone else. Case in point to Pettigrew, once he found out he was a traitor he got the proverbial axe. Or should I say amaterasu. (;
Also, he won't be manipulative, he'll have reasons for why he does what he does.
As for Harry/Itachi being blind? Well, he could be. He might not be. Review and find out.
Any questions? Review them.
As always, review, favourite and follow! I appreciate them all.
Till next time Uzunami669.