(I know that I'm rewriting this chapter. But I have my reasons. I'm sorry, but I also will need to go back and rewrite several of them. I hope you can all understand for it will be important later on in the story. Please enjoy this new old chapter.)
Chapter 5: As the Years Go By
Godric's Hollow. The place where everything ended… and started. At least that's how Albus would always remember this place. It was this place where Dumbledore got his rude wakeup call and decided to do everything in his power to make up for his mistakes. Even though he knew that there was no way he could ever hope to atone for his foolishness.
He was here to remember the past. The goodness and innocence that once thrived here and should've continued to done so for years to come.
Like himself… little Harry Potter lost his family here and suddenly found himself alone. But he at least got to know his own parents before they were taken away from him. It saddened him greatly to think that the little boy won't even remember what his own mother and father looked like. He thought back to that Halloween night.
Everyone had celebrated the defeat of Lord Voldemort for weeks on end, Death Eaters up and down the country were captured and either free to go or sent to Azkaban such as the traitor Sirius Black. Now things seemed to be heading to a much brighter future.
Too bad that he knew better then that. This was just the beginning.
Little Whinging. That would be his next stop. Every year on Halloween, Albus would pay a quick visit the Potter's old home in Godric's Hollow to remember—both the good times and the bad before he would go to Privet Drive, Little Whinging just to see how the boy was going.
He stared long and hard at the remains of the Potter's cottage before he turned on his heel and disappeared.
*Later*
He wandered around a small Muggle school, waiting for the bell to ring. He had come here about once a year to see how the boy was faring. So far however, he was less than pleased. He was only able to get just a small glimpse of the boy, but never talk to him. He had to be careful not to get to let the boy see him or it could complicate things in the far future. But from what he could see from a distance was that the boy didn't seem like he was having the happy, normal childhood like he had hoped for.
The school bell began to ring. Albus hide behind a wall where he could see the front doors, but he couldn't be seen, and waited. A swarm of Muggle students came rushing out, talking and laughing—some of them in costumes, getting ready to go out trick-or-treating for the night. He leaned back and watched as boys and girls of all ages and sizes ran right pass him and out onto the streets to where their parents or the school bus was waiting.
He waited until the flood turned into a light trickle and most had already left. Albus frowned. He was hoping that he could get some glimpse of Harry, but then realized that he only had a vague idea of what the boy looked like. Did Harry already leave with his friends?
But before he could wonder what to do next, a large gang of kids came walking out. The one in front looked like… there was no other word for it… like a bully.
He was big, and very fat—he looked more like a pig with blonde hair than anything else. Albus hated thinking about kids that way, but it was undeniably true. He was with a large group of friends that all looked like a thugs. The way they walked and acted… like they thought that they owned the school. Kids shouldn't be going around acting like that. Once they neared the wall, he could hear some of the things they said.
"So, what are you all going as?" asked a kid with a pointed face.
"Who cares?" said the kid that looked like a pig. "Just as long as I get plenty of loot."
"Your parents taking you?" asked another kid that looked like a troll. "I told mine that I don't need them to baby me anymore."
"Nah," their leader said. "I told them I could handle it myself. They're leaving my crybaby cousin with that batty old Figg lady tonight while they go out."
He looked over at a group of little boys where one was holding a large candy bar. The leader of the gang smirked as he walked over to the boy, and snatched the piece of candy right out of his hands. His victim, who only reached up to his waist, gasped and ran off with his friends as though afraid that they would get beat up if they did anything else.
Albus frowned. But he was disturbed about what these children were talking about. Mrs. Figg? He knew that Petunia Dursley had a son… was this him? How could any mother actually allow their child to act like this?
He watched them until they turned the corner up ahead and were out of his sight. Albus sighed. He must've just missed Harry. He came out of his hiding place… only to walk into a very small figure by accident.
The child that he almost ran down was so small, that he didn't even notice him. But he held out his hand just in time to prevent the youngster from being knocked to the ground.
"Sorry about that," said the little boy. "I wasn't watching where I was going."
"No, it was my fault," Albus said politely… and finally took in the boy's appearance. He stared at him. It looked like a mini-James. The same pale and thin face, messy black hair, even the glasses were just like James used to be. But the eyes… they were completely different.
Bright green—Lily's eyes.
There was only one person that it could possibly be.
Albus stared down at little Harry Potter.
And he was appalled at Harry's condition. He practically screamed out, neglected and abused. He was smaller and skinnier than normal children his age should be. He was in clothes that looked like they belonged to people at least three times his size, and worst of all—he had the expression of a whipped puppy.
That look nearly broke his heart.
He had seen that expression many times before—but it was always on the same person—his sister Ariana.
Ever since the day that Ariana was attacked by those Muggle boys to the day she died, she had that same look of hurt, fear, and betrayal in her eyes. Seeing that look after nearly a century… he suddenly felt like that same little boy that failed to protect his siblings the day that they needed him most.
But Harry didn't notice because he was barely looking at him, too busy looking around him as if he expected someone to suddenly jump out and attack him.
"Are you alright?" Albus asked his voice gentle.
Harry still didn't look up at him, but answered. "Yes, sir," he said politely. He was acting the part of a mouse—a mouse trying hard not to be caught by a cat. "I was just watching out for—I mean I was just waiting until everyone else left."
"Why would you wait until everyone else left?" Albus asked concerned.
"So that they won't come after me," he said as though he doubted that any adult would believe him. "Anyway I have to go. Sorry again!"
He turned and slowly walked off, but he kept looking his shoulder, as if expecting some kind of monster to sneak up on him.
Albus stared after him for some time before he finally decided to leave. He had gone back to his school to enjoy the Halloween feast… but he didn't enjoy it as much as he had hoped. His thoughts were turned to that scared little boy that he had seen today.
The poor child mumbled things about watching out for everyone else as if he was still living in the middle of a war; he was so nervous and jumpy like he thought that there were ghosts around every corner.
He knew that he was right that Harry would be safe from Voldemort as long as he was near his mother's blood. He was right when he knew that Harry would be put through so much neglect and bullying during his time here.
But the look on his face… looking so much like his dead sister… he was seriously beginning to question leaving him here.
The only source of comfort he had was when he went to bed that night, he gazed out his window, and he whispered into the night sky, "Hold on, Harry. Just a few more years and you'll be safe from that place."
