Summery: Lily and James Potter are alive and have been told their son Harry is dead. What happens when they learn they have been lied to?

Life Changed Year 3

Chapter Five

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"Is Harry here? Has everything been explained to him?" Lily asked anxiously as she stepped out of the fire place followed by James.

Dumbledore held up a hand to halt their questions before he spoke. He really didn't want to tell them what he had found at the Dursleys but he knew he had to. "Yes, Harry is here. And I haven't had the chance to explain things to him yet. He's now in the hospital wing under Madam Pomfrey's care," Dumbledore again held a hand up to stop James from interrupting. "Let me explain before you ask questions." At their nods he continued motioning for them to take a seat, which they did reluctantly. "I went to the Dursleys to retrieve Harry this evening. Mr. Dursley however wouldn't let me in and I had to invite myself. He told me Harry was not there. When I asked where he was he still refused. Mrs. Dursley intervened and told me where he was. He was locked in the broom cupboard under the stairs." Lily gasped and James looked very angry as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. "He was ill, barely able to stand. I brought him back here and contacted Madam Pomfrey who has examined him."

"And is he okay?" Lily interrupted anxiously.

"He has the flu along with a chest cold." Dumbledore answered calmly. "Poppy also says that because they have gone untreated they have caused him to have a minor case of asthma."

James and Lily didn't have to ask what asthma was; Jamie had a friend with asthma a few years ago before that friend moved, and Terri had a friend named Kylie who had a bad case of asthma. Both friends had had minor attacks while at their house and they had learned how to treat it.

"How long will he have the cold and flu?" Lily asked.

"For about a week with proper rest and care."

"How could you leave him with the Dursleys?" James finally spoke up, his voice hard and shook with fury. "You know they hate magic! That they hate anything to do with what does not fit into their normal life!"

"I had believed they would change." Dumbledore answered bowing his head for a moment before looking James in the eyes. He almost flinched from the fury in James' eyes. "I didn't think they could ever harm someone that they raised."

"Your right," James said his voice now having a sarcastic edge to it. "You didn't think! He shouldn't have been taken there! You could have fought for Remus to take custody if need be!"

"Remus was distraught about your death," Dumbledore tried explaining. "He along with everyone else was told you were dead. He was in no frame of mind to take in a child; the man could barely care for himself after news broke of the attack on Godrics Hollow, let alone a baby."

"Have you informed him we are not dead?" Lily interrupted.

"Not yet," Dumbledore answered truthfully. "I plan to do that when he comes to Hogwarts to get settled in." At Lily and James' confused looks he explained. "He has agreed to take the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

James smiled at that bit of news. Remus would make a great teacher. He'd always liked kids and was great at teaching things. He's always had to help Sirius and himself with their homework while they were in school. "How is he?" He asked bringing the attention back to himself.

"He's well." Dumbledore answered. "He lives by himself but occasionally shows up."

"When will you explain things to Harry?" Lily asked bringing the subject back to their son.

"Tomorrow once he's has some rest." Dumbledore answered.

"Will we be able to see him tomorrow?" James asked.

Dumbledore nodded in answer. "I also need to retrieve his belongings."

"Let us do that," Lily interrupted. Dumbledore began to protest but she continued before he could get a word in. "Albus, you know we'll go there anyway. We do have every right to confront them for their treatment of our son."

Dumbledore sighed tiredly. He couldn't begrudge them that. Finally he nodded. "Do not harm them in any way." He warned sternly.

"They still live at Privet Drive?" Lily asked standing up.

Dumbledore nodded. "I know I don't deserve forgiveness for my decisions and actions in the wrongs in Harry's and your life, but I am sorry."

"You don't deserve forgiveness, nor do you have it from me." James spoke, his voice stern and his eyes blazing again. "There is just too much to forgive for me"

Dumbledore nodded in understanding. "Good night." He spoke his voice lingered with tiredness.

"Good night, Albus," Lily spoke before flooing out after James. "Number Four Privet Drive!" She called throwing the floo powder in and stepping into the green flames.

Stepping out of the fire place they found themselves in a extremely clean living room. The room was mostly decorated with white – which they were now dirtying with the soot they were brushing off their clothes onto the floor. They looked up as a very large boy entered the living room. 'Dudley,' Lily recalled his name to be. He resembled his father very closely.

"Mum! Dad!" Dudley called as his eyes widened and he wobbled from the room into what Lily remembered to be the kitchen. A moment later a large man, Vernon, and a skinny woman who resembled a horse entered the living room.

"What in the hell are you doing!" Vernon cried as he stomped into the room and towards James. "Your one of them freaks!" He said as he suddenly recognized them and stepped back in shock, his eyes widening and mouth opening and closing comically.

Lily glanced at her sister, Petunia, who was staring at her in shock. "Y-your supposed to be dead!" She finally managed to say. "They said you were dead!"

Lily stepped forward angrily. "They were wrong! We have been alive. They lied to us by telling us our son was dead!" Pointing her finger at Petunia she continued her eyes blazing an alarming shade of bright emerald green. "How could you treat my son that way! What's he ever done to you? He's a child!" Lily hissed angrily.

"How dare you speak to my wife like that you freak!" Vernon said as he began to stomp toward the angry red head. He would have made it had James not intervened by standing between them.

"Don't call my wife a freak!" James said jabbing his finger into Vernon's chubby face. "If anything it is you who is the freak! Treating a child like that! Locking him in a broom cupboard!" James yelled at the heavy man.

Vernon opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally he was finally able to verbalize a sentence. "You dare you come into my house and yell at me and my wife! You couldn't take care of your boy so we got stuck with him! I vowed to get that freakishness out of him when he was left on our door step but obviously was unable to. He deserved everything he got!" Vernon yelled in James' face, spittle flying from his mouth.

That was the last straw for James. Bringing his fist back he threw it at Vernon's large nose. Vernon fell back onto his butt and held his nose in shock, too stunned to speak.

"You had no right to treat our child like that!" James said heatedly. "You're lucky we don't report you for child abuse and neglect." James hissed. Turning around he took out some floo powder and threw it in the flames. "Go on home, I'll get Harry's things."

James quickly located Harry's thing's in a bedroom upstairs and gathered them into a trunk. Casting the spell to locate anything he might have missed belonging to Harry he found some under a loose floorboard. Prying it open he began to pull some things out. A few Wizard trinkets, a chocolate frog card. He paused as he felt the silky material, his old invisibility cloak. Smiling he added it into the trunk. Feeling around for anything else he found a leather bound book. Opening it he found it was filled with pictures of Lily and himself and Harry as a baby. Closing it he also added it to the trunk.

Going downstairs he threw floo powder in the fire place but hesitated before stepping in. There was something he had to see for himself.

Glancing out the window he saw the car was gone. 'The Dursleys must have left, good.' He thought as he entered the hallway and located the broom cupboard. Unlocking it he kneeled down and glanced inside. Seeing a pull-string to turn on a light he pulled it. Now that the cupboard was illuminated he could see better. It was small, he noted. There was a small mattress, which he assumed to be a crib mattress because of its size. There was a very well worn blanket laying at the foot of the mattress. Shaking his head he left the cupboard not bothering to close it. He couldn't take any more of that. There was a large sense of sadness there.

Grabbing the trunk he quickly flooed home.

Harry groggily opened his eyes expecting to wake up in his cupboard, but was surprised to find himself in the Hogwarts infirmary. Finally remembering the previous evening he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He didn't know what to think. One moment he was at the Dursleys locked in his cupboard, and the next Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was taking him from there. Why had Dumbledore been there? Everything was a little foggy about the previous night.

"Harry?" A voice beside him called. He jumped in surprise. He hadn't realized he wasn't alone. Looking over he saw Dumbledore and relaxed a little. Dumbledore handed him something and Harry recognized them as glasses. Putting them on everything came into focus. Dumbledore smiled. "Good morning, Harry."

"Good morning, Headmaster." Harry answered politely.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Harry answered, not knowing how to reply.

"Good," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "Are you hungry?" Harry nodded. "Shelby," He called. A moment later there was a 'pop' and a house elf appeared. "Can you bring us something for breakfast please?" Shelby nodded eagerly. "Something light." The house elf nodded again and disappeared.

A few minutes later there was another soft 'pop' and they were given their food. Dumbledore and Harry ate in silence. Finally when they were finished, Harry hadn't managed to eat more then half before he was full, Dumbledore began speaking again.

"How long have you been ill?" He asked conversationally, though some interest lingered in his voice. Harry also noticed there was no twinkle in his eyes.

"Most of the summer," Harry answered honestly.

"Why didn't you contact anyone?" Dumbledore asked. Harry knew he was asking about owling using Hedwig.

"Hedwig is with Ron," Harry informed the headmaster. Dumbledore nodded.

After several moments Dumbledore began. "Harry, I have something remarkable, yet hard to believe to tell you. Though I imagine it will be a long discussion. Do you feel up to that discussion?" He asked eyeing Harry critically. Harry nodded hesitantly fearing it was something bad. Dumbledore apparently decided he could handle the discussion because he continued. "We have recently discovered your parent's are alive."

The only outward reaction Harry showed was his eye brows knitting. 'That's not possible.' Harry thought to himself. 'My parents are dead. There is no way they were alive all this time without someone knowing.' "I don't know why your saying this." Harry finally spoke staring guardedly at Dumbledore. "There is no way they are alive!"

"I know," Dumbledore spoke. "I had believed them to be dead too, but it's true. I've seen and spoken to them myself. They are alive. I know it seems impossible, but it's true."

Harry shook his head stubbornly. "They can't be alive. Someone would have said so before now! It's got to be some trick or something." Harry began to edge off the bed slowly.

"I have had them answer under veritaserum. Veritaserum is a truth serum. People can not lie under the potion." Dumbledore tried to explain to Harry.

"They had to! They wouldn't leave me," Harry said, his voice wavering and eyes blazing as he began to step away from the bed and edge toward the wall. His back hitting the wall informed him he couldn't go any further. Sliding down the wall to the floor he brought his knees to his chest. 'At least I don't think they would leave me.' He thought.

"No, they wouldn't leave you on purpose," Dumbledore said as he knelled down in front of Harry, though respecting his space. "They were lied to – they were told you had died in the attack at your home." Dumbledore explained. Seeing no other way to get Harry to believe him he decided he needed to get Harry's parents there. Then, hopefully, Harry would believe that he was telling the truth. He knew right now Harry had to feel hurt and angry. "I'll be back shortly, dear boy." Dumbledore said staring at Harry's face. He could see tears in Harry's eyes, refusing to fall.

It didn't take him long to contact Lily and James. He'd told them to keep their day free so he could contact them. He explained the situation to them as they walked toward the infirmary.

Entering the hospital wing they found Harry still sitting in the corner of the room on the floor with his legs drawn to his chest. He looked up as he heard the door close and gasped in shock. That was enough for James and Lily to move towards him. They respectively didn't touch him but they knelt by him. "Hi, Harry," James was the first to speak.

Harry didn't reply. He just stared at them with wide green eyes. "Will you come on over and get back in bed? It's rather cold here on the floor." Lily tried to coax Harry of the floor. He moved willingly, obviously in shock.

Dumbledore smiled slightly before leaving the room. Lily and James could handle it from there.

Finally getting Harry back in bed and covered in the blankets, James spoke. "We were told after the attack on our home that you had died." He figured explaining things might help Harry understand better. "We left the Wizarding world soon after and have been living in America. We only learned a week ago that you were alive and that we'd been lied to."

"Who told you that I died?" Harry asked. He had so many questions. He didn't know which ones to ask first. His parents were alive! It was a dream come true. It seemed so surreal.

"Minister Fudge." Lily answered.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"We don't know." Lily answered.

"Am I dreaming?" Harry asked swallowing nervously. Fearing the answer.

James smiled tears forming in his eyes. "No, your not dreaming." He said, his voice choked up.

Tears also formed in Harry's eyes and this time he found he couldn't hold them back. As soon as they started to fall he found himself pulled into an embrace of both of his parents.

End of Chapter Five

A/N: HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! I wrote most of this last night because I figured it would be a nice treat for Valentines Day. I'm one of these nuts that love holidays. I'm always planning Halloween costumes months before Halloween. Lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please REVIEW!

Next Chapter:

Harry goes home with Lily and James.

School supply shopping.