Present Day, Potter Castle
The ancestral home of the Potter family was a squat grey fort-like structure which, despite its ugliness, managed to convey a sense of sturdiness and strength.
It was broad daylight. Someone was reading a book on top of the walls. Harry couldn't tell who it was but he sighed with jealousy (a feeling he was not unused to). He had just got back from his job at Diagon Alley, and was sweaty and irritable from the hours he'd spent in a stuffy shop. Since Voldemort had returned most places had boarded up their windows, trying, ineffectually, to improve security.
The shop Harry was working at had also received a glut of customers in recent times, spurred by the Dark Lord's rise. This wasn't because it sold anti-dark arts equipment, but because it was situated in Knockturn Alley and supplied illegal goods, mostly potion ingredients. The Ministry probably could and should have shut it down, but they were too busy, and not about to close the shop now, when they hadn't made any attempt to during the previous years of its existence.
Harry peered up at the person on the battlements a second, thought it might well be Remus, and wandered into the house. He made himself a sandwich, sat back in the kitchen, and began his Arithmancy homework. It involved a lot of diagrams, and spiral symmetry, and he was quite absorbed in it when Daniel came in.
The other boy had obviously been exercising, probably flying or running around in Animagus form. He poured himself a glass of lemonade, and sat down opposite and a little across from Harry.
'Hello.'
'Hello.'
'What are you doing?'
'Arithmancy homework.'
'That's hard, isn't it?'
It was. Harry resented that everything Daniel did came easily to him. Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, Herbology…
'You were flying?'
'Yep. I've mastered the Wronski feint, can't wait to show it to Ron.'
'Well done.'
This civilised conversation couldn't last.
It didn't.
'What's that?' said Daniel.
'Arithmancy homework. I said so already.'
'No, I mean that.'
He pointed at a small bottle of viscous black liquid that was half poking out of Harry's bag. Damn. It was Lethifold Essence he'd bought from the shop and, as such, highly illegal in Britain.
'The juice of crushed shark eggs. I need it for a potion.'
'I'm not an idiot,' Daniel said. 'That stuff's banned.'
'I'm not sure if it is or it isn't,' Harry said. 'Honestly, someone gave it to me.'
'Probably one of your Slytherin friends. I'd be careful of anything they gave you.'
'I don't really care. Why do you have such a problem about me making illegal potions when you and dad are both unregistered Animagi – from an illegal potion?'
'Yeah, but it's not like we're Slytherin, or talk to snakes, or practise curses on Leo when no one's watching.'
Leo was the statue of a lion by the living room fire. How did Daniel know about that? Harry was always so careful to clean up afterwards, same as with the potions and the books.
'Dad's worried about you,' said Daniel, in a consoling, almost patronising, tone. 'Especially with you spending every day this holidays at Knockturn Alley.'
Harry's eyes widened. How did he know? How?
It clicked, of course. Those new glasses his dad had given him the other day (another source of envy! – Daniel had perfect eyesight). They must have some spell on them. Perhaps James could see what Harry saw, something like that.
In any case, it was manifestly stupid of Daniel to tell him about it.
'How Gryffindor of you two to spy on me. Honour and all that.'
'It's for your own good.'
'He doesn't want to look out for me, all he wants to do is preserve the Potter name from shame. I think I can decide what I do for myself.'
Harry got up, took his Arithmancy homework and his bag, and went to sit on Griffen Way. The Way was on the north side of the castle, so it was always shrouded in shadow. Harry sat down and took the opportunity to examine his glasses, tapping them occasionally. He thought the glass had a slight orange tint to it – the Spionis Charm might have been the one his father had cast.
He put his glasses back on and was just opening his books when he felt something hit him on the back. He sprung to his feet and looked up angrily. Someone had thrown a stone at him from the top of the walls. But he couldn't see anyone there.
'Oy!' he shouted. 'Who did that?'
He saw a slight ripple in the air above. He felt suddenly cold with dread, like icy water had drenched his body. People – under a Disillusion Charm – were there above. He heard a voice cry 'Stupefy', but was alert enough to jump out of the way. A red beam of light drilled into the ground beside him.
He pressed himself up against the wall, where they couldn't hit him unless they leaned out a good metre from the crenellations, and thought. Who were they? It didn't seem like a prank. Death Eaters then, it couldn't be anyone else. They probably hadn't meant to catch his attention but had knocked the chip off the crumbling battlements that had alerted him.
He slid along against the wall. Should he make a run for it? No, he'd be seen and cursed. The castle was probably surrounded by Death Eaters anyway. But where could he go? It wasn't possible to App -
There was a bang. Someone had sent a Reducto Curse down on him. It hit the ground a few feet away, sending up a shower of stones.
Harry didn't think any more. He turned and ran along the wall, intent on getting away, getting somewhere that wasn't underneath a crowd of Death Eaters. He found a low wooden door, he thought it led into the cellars, it was as good an escape route as any. He heaved it open, darted in, and shut it.
Now he had some shelter, if only temporary. The Death Eaters were above. If it was him they wanted, they'd still have to get down to ground level.
And Harry didn't think it was him they were after.
They were here for his brother, there was no doubt about it. Ever since his return, the Dark Lord had expressed an unusual desire to kill Daniel Potter. Harry could understand the revenge motive, and it was a strong one, but it seemed the Dark Lord's determination was driven by more than vengeance. He had other things now – increasing power, a legion of supporters – so why was he obsessed with bringing the sixteen-year-old down? It was almost, Harry felt, as if Voldemort regarded Daniel as a threat. Which didn't make sense at all.
Harry crouched in the cellar, stared at his wand a second, and belatedly sent out an Alarm spell. The air instantly filled with the high-pitched wail of a siren. At least the others would have some chance now, some warning.
Then he waited. He couldn't Floo, they'd been disconnected from the Network for safety reasons. Nor could he Apparate – wards prevented any such activity in the vicinity of Potter castle. He wished he'd stayed at the shop, sorted the new deliveries or something.
The cellar door rattled – not the one which led outside, but the one which went up to the castle. Harry got up, at a complete loss as to what to do. The door rattled again, then bulged forward under some external force, a spell probably.
Harry held his wand aloft. The door would open, there was nothing he could do. He could hide, but he'd probably be found. He did the only thing that came to mind. With a wave of his wand, he transfigured his clothes into a black robe, an ugly anonymous mask. Death eater garb.
The door finally burst open. Two robed figures came in.
'There's no one,' Harry said. 'I already checked.'
Let his voice be unrecognisable, let them believe him.
They stared at him immobile, and he imagined looks of disbelief pass beneath their masks, but they accepted him, perhaps because of his sheer confidence. 'Fine. Let's move on,' one, a raspy-voiced woman, said.
'The door was unlocked you know,' Harry told her.
And then, before they could question him, he pushed past them and up the stairs into the house. They followed him as he led the way, a bit too assuredly, through the hallways and stairs of the house. He went where he thought the Potters least likely to be, of course, but it didn't seem like it would make any difference. The house was swarming with Death Eaters. And yet there was no sign of resistance.
Harry puzzled over this fact, wondering where Daniel and James could be, but he was immediately interrupted by shouting and a sharp scream. It seemed to come from the dining room. The Death Eaters near him rushed towards it. Harry froze a moment in indecision: he could probably escape now, while they were all busy… but could he leave his family alone?
He sprinted after the Death Eaters. A glance around told him that no one was watching, and he took his chance, Stunning the two in sight from behind. That evened things a little. He went to run forward then baulked. How could he help Daniel and James, after all? He'd probably get himself killed… and they might even end up cursing him, dressed as he was.
He slunk away from the sounds of fighting, and headed for the back of the house as quickly and stealthily as he could. As he finally neared the threshold of the castle walls, a hand closed around his shoulder. He started, unable to stop himself, and turned around, whipping his wand up.
Had he been found out? Did they know who he was?
But the Death Eater he found himself face to face with did not move.
'Running away?' he reprimanded Harry. 'Or are you interested in obtaining some of the Potter wealth?'
'N-no,' Harry said. 'I thought I heard a noise… just making sure. Invisibility cloaks, you know.'
'Ah. Of course,' the Death Eater said, voice infused with irony.
Harry suggested they go help the others and the man didn't protest. The scene that met them when they arrived was one of chaos. Death Eaters under the effects of hexes lay on the ground, some writhing around or whimpering in pain. Many more were engaged in fighting two men and their target, Daniel Potter.
Daniel and James, each with identical looks of concentration, were throwing curses. Remus, behind them, appeared to be performing some complicated charm, occasionally breaking off to repair the shield that surrounded the three men. But despite their obvious determination, and James' constant barrage of spells, they were heavily outnumbered.
Harry felt helpless as the Death Eaters around him pushed forward. He dodged his brother's curse, then surreptitiously cast his own Stunning Spell, apparently accidentally hitting one of the Death Eaters in front of him. No one appeared to notice. Encouraged, he mumbled 'Protego', sending a burst of blue light to strengthen his relatives' shield.
He again glanced around to check if anyone had seen and was unnerved to find the Death Eater who had accompanied him staring at him, eyes boring through his mask. Harry stumbled, making as if he had been hit, and hurried away from the room. Nothing more he could do without risking certain death.
He made his way down the corridors. Once he was out of sight he burst into a run. Someone called out behind him and he found that the same Death Eater was following him. Harry was still in the man's cursing range, so he had no choice but to stop and hazard a duel.
The Death Eater followed suit, pulling up and fingering his wand.
'The Dark Lord doesn't take kindly to imposters,' he said.
'I'm not an Imposter,' Harry said, but he knew no amount of sworn lies would save him now. He began to pull his left sleeve back. He'd get the man to focus on his (Dark Mark- free) arm, then curse him while he was distracted.
But the Death Eater didn't even look, keeping his eyes firmly on Harry's wand.
'Catch Potter,' he said, and flung something at him. Harry didn't catch it, nor did he have time to dodge out of the way, and as the thing hit him he felt a violent lurch. The Death Eater and the scene faded and he found himself in the Headmaster's Office.
He'd been here only once before, in his Fourth year when he'd gotten in a ton of trouble for forging teachers' signatures. The room wasn't empty. The Headmaster, James and Daniel Potter, and Remus Lupin were there, all pointing their wands at him.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Somehow, they'd managed to escape. Little as he liked them, he didn't want them dead. Before they could curse him, he pulled off the mask.
'Harry,' said Professor Black. He let his wand arm relax, as did Remus, but the Potters still watched him warily.
Harry muttered a charm and let his clothes revert to their original form. Once the Death Eater robes were gone, the atmosphere in the room became a lot less tense, though Daniel was still scowling.
'I transfigured my clothes. What else could I do? Then one of the Death Eaters caught me out. But he must have been a spy, or an imposter like me, because he gave me a Portkey.'
'That's the same way we got out. We were starting to worry about you. Remus here thought you might have been captured, but it's good to know you can take care of yourself.'
- Taking care of himself and fleeing the fight, like a good little Slytherin does, was the unspoken comment which, even if Sirius hadn't intended it, still hung in the air.
What followed this talk was a discussion of the wards on Potter Castle, whether it would be wise to return there, where Daniel could stay instead, how had the Death Eaters had bypassed the protections and alarms, and various other topics of importance.
Harry ever so slightly resented the camaraderie that seemed to exist between the three men and Daniel. Sirius, like Remus, was an old friend of James. Harry had actually heard that in the past, Sirius had been an outgoing prankster, lively and cheerful. There was not much sign of any rebellious streak now, if that had ever been the case. Sirius was Headmaster of Hogwarts, and had been for seven years now, since Dumbledore had quit to become Minister of Magic. He took his position seriously, though he was occasionally subject to impulsive actions. Back in fourth year he had expelled Harry in a fit of rage, though thankfully something or someone had changed his mind and got him to reverse the decision.
'Remus's place isn't exactly the most savoury of homes, though, Sirius. I seem to remember him telling us about a Door-knock Jinx that his aunt put on -.'
'I suppose you have a point. But what other option is there? I mean, Regulus has Grimmauld Place. Otherwise I would offer, but with the amount of cursed objects in the house, with a Death Eater to boot -.'
Here Harry interrupted.
'Let me make myself clear, sir. I am sixteen, next year I will be a wizard in my own right. The Dark Lord doesn't want to kill me, or at least, not enough to launch a full-fledged raid. So I am not risking my life by staying with them.'
James glared at him.
'Be fair. Don't force it on me. I mean, I don't get any say in the matter. If I weren't the brother of the Boy-Who-Lived, I wouldn't have nearly died today. I'd be living a perfectly peaceful life. Why can't you at least give me that?'
'A Slytherin exhorting us to be fair,' sneered James.
Harry shrugged.
'I'll be staying at the school for the rest of the holidays.'
He left the office. James was about to follow him, furious, but Remus stopped him.
'Come on James. You're being over the top. Harry may not be particularly altruistic, but it must have been him who cast the Alarm Spell.'
James reluctantly agreed, and sat down to continue the discussion.
Yes, I know the Potters almost definitely don't have a castle (if they did, Harry would know about it) and I know James is getting an unfair wrap, but, in the next chapter it will become quite clear that all the blame is not on his side, as Harry makes plans to take a decidedly large step away from Potter family tradition.