Chapter 1 The Forgotten One

A/N: Thanks to all the wonderful reviews last time! I'm really chuffed! I would reply but then my story would get taken off so I'll refrain. Now some sent e-mails asking if this was an abused Harry, the answer is NO. Harry is not in any way abused or mal treated just ignored. I hate child abuse thus it won't be in the story. The only 'mal-treatment' comes from Dumbledore but that will come later and that is NOT child abuse either. The Potters were described as nice people, so I'm going to carry on with that theme as well. This is an AU as well so don't expect any canon! Right, now on with the show!

Oh this 'word' means thinking. This "word" means speaking and this –word- means telepathic communication, just to let ya'll know!

4 Years Later (Harry and James are 5)

It had been a long time since Lord Voldemort had gone but the uproar over his defeat was still as strong as ever. For a five-year-old James, nicknamed Jamie, this meant that wherever he went he was always being asked to shake people's hands and turn over his palm so that they could see the scar that had been burned into his palm. The scar itself wasn't peculiar and resembled a red cloud when the Potters had been reawakened by 'Ennervate!' from Order of the Phoenix members.

Jamie had been found holding his unconscious twin brother awake and after that everyone felt that he was the Boy Who Lived: the Boy Who Conquered the Dark Lord. Jamie didn't mind the attention at all being the boisterous and loud child that he was. He loved getting the new toys, clothes, magazines and everything else a child would hope for come Christmas and July 31st. James and Lily Potter also didn't mind receiving the attention. They loved being able to dote upon their son, the son who saved the wizarding world. However in their ignorance, one child was left behind in the uproar over Voldemort's defeat.

Harry Potter was a shy child and wasn't all that trusting of strangers. He sighed as he looked around his brother's birthday party. He knew that it was both of their birthdays today but somehow in the excitement of it being the Boy-Who-Lived's birthday party, Harry had somehow been forgotten. Not that he minded of course, for this would happen all the time. He knew that it wasn't his brother's fault but somehow he really wished that his brother would acknowledge him from time to time.

From his position beneath the table, Harry glanced over at the massive pile of presents purely for his brother, who was now ripping the paper off of them with great gusto. His own few presents had contained some new colouring pencils, a drawing pad and some new robes. Harry sighed again. He just wished that at some point someone would wish HIM a happy birthday, but he supposed that that was a bit too much to ask, so he continued to read his book beneath the table groaning with the weight of all the food piled on top of it.

"Happy 5th Birthday Harry!" a voice said suddenly from behind him. Harry turned around sharply and broke into a wide toothy grin as he saw his Uncle Moony crouched down in front of him.

"UNCLE MOONY!" Harry shrieked with happiness. He knew Uncle Moony would give him a present! His Uncle Moony was always there when his Uncle Padfoot and his mum and dad were busy with James. His Uncle proudly handed over a large envelope and a package. Harry carefully opened the package, savouring the thick spellotape that held it together and the thick glossy snitch covered wrapping paper. He gradually unfolded the paper to reveal . . . a snitch! He had desperately wanted one of these forever! Ever since he had seen his dad, Uncle Padfoot and Uncle Moony play in their garden Quidditch pitch, Harry had known that he wanted one of those small golden balls to try to catch just like his father. Maybe then his dad might be proud of him, though Harry knew that was a bit too much to ask.

"THANK YOU UNCLE MOONY!" Harry yelled as he leaped into his uncle's arms. Remus' arms tightened around the small thin boy that he held and said, "That's alright Harry. Now . . . why don't you open that envelope?"

Harry looked curiously at his uncle before turning to the golden covered envelope in front of him, turning it over to the back. He ripped it open and pulled out the card. There on the front it had 'Happy 5th Birthday Harry!' written in large red and gold coloured writing. Harry stared at the card in astonishment. This was really something. A birthday card with his name on it! He gently opened the card and gasped at the gift vouchers he saw inside. 20 whole galleons to spend at Flourish and Blotts! This was really a special birthday! He glanced at his Uncle Moony with tears in his eyes.

"Don't you like it?" Remus cautiously asked, "Because I can return it."

"No!" Harry yelled, "I am just really happy!" He looked once again at the vouchers. This meant that he could get those new books that he really wanted. Jamie was always playing with other children or his parents so that left Harry all alone. Due to his perpetual boredom, Harry had taught himself to read and Remus happened upon him one afternoon in the Potter family library reading a 1st year book on Defence Against the Dark Arts. Needless to say, Remus was quite shocked and amusedly told a crying Harry that he wouldn't tell Lily or James that their son could read. Harry didn't want his parents to ignore him any more than they did already, especially as their precious son could only manage to read 'Bill rides a broom' before cracking with exhaustion. So Harry made Remus swear to secrecy. This secret Remus kept, but acknowledged by buying him these marvellous book tokens which Harry treasured. Harry knew that Uncle Moony was poor so these book tokens meant a lot to the young child.

Before Remus could reply though to Harry's exclamation a loud voice called out, "Oi, Moony. What the hell are you doing next to the table?" Remus sighed and turned to Harry. Harry looked at him and smiled.

"Don't worry, Uncle Moony. It looks like dad wants you to go over. I'm fine," he said smiling though inside his little heart was breaking. Remus sighed again and looked at Harry with tears forming in his eyes. He couldn't understand why such an intelligent person such as Harry could be ignored all the time but he didn't want to say anything in case he lost the only friends that he really had. Harry motioned for him to move on to his father. With a sigh, Remus got up, stretched out his back and moved over to where James Potter was. Harry looked at his father and two friends beneath the tree where his mother, Jamie and Jamie's massive pile of presents lay.

Harry got out from beneath the table and glanced over at his parents and twin brother again. He could hear a passing witch exclaim, "Oh my! Don't they look like the perfect family?" Harry glanced back at his family. 'Yes,' he thought, 'they do look like a perfect family. But where do I fit in?'

Later on that evening

James, Lily and Jamie were seated in front of the TV that Lily had insisted on bringing in from the muggle world. Jamie was currently on the floor playing with one of the presents given to him by his admirers before tossing it aside and pulling out a new one. James and Lily were seated at the couch looking at the TV with Lily's head gently resting on James' shoulder. All three of them looked happy and content.

Harry was currently sat just behind the balustrade looking at the family in front of him. 'I don't really belong here, do I?' he questioned himself silently. 'They didn't even wish me a happy birthday. The only one to do so was Uncle Moony. They just left my presents on the kitchen table. No one would even notice if I was gone, save Uncle Moony.' With that thought Harry carefully stood up and walked into his small room at the end of the long corridor, past his parents' room, past Jamie's room, past Jamie's toy room, past Jamie's play room, past Uncle Moony and Uncle Padfoot's guest rooms and past the bathrooms.

He carefully walked inside and shut the door softly behind him, the door making a slight rustle along the thick carpet. He treaded across the room until he reached his standing closet. He opened it and carefully pulled out the rucksack he used for school. He remembered the day he got that. His mother had handed it to him one bright morning with his packed lunch and kissed him on top of his head. He loved it when his mother did that, though those times were few and far between. Being the smart child that he was, he knew that he would need clothes, food and money. He only had very little money on him that Uncle Remus sometimes slipped him as pocket money. His parents forgot to give him any. He carefully counted out the bronze, silver and the single gold galleon that he had. 1 galleon, 14 sickles and 27 knuts. Well that would buy a decent amount of food, he reasoned to himself. He placed the money carefully in his trouser pocket before loading a sweater, some trousers and a shirt into the knapsack. He also put in the treasured golden snitch, his book vouchers from Uncle Moony and the birthday card he got as well. He also put in a single picture of his family when they were all together at the muggle Disneyland. His mother had gone there as a child and insisted that her children should experience it as well. In the background he could just see the enchanted castle and in the foreground he could see his whole family, including himself, all happy and smiling.

Harry glanced once more at his room, looking over every tiny detail, imprinting it all to memory. He was just about to leave his room when a bright flash startled him. Before any sound was heard the light cleared and Harry Potter was gone.

Lily Potter sat upright. Something was wrong. Her maternal instincts were screaming at her that something was not right. James looked at her questioningly but she shook her head before glancing at her son Jamie, playing on the floor. No, Jamie was not the problem. Then who? Harry. That was it. She looked at James, worry etched across her features.

"James, go check on Harry," she said urgently. James didn't need to be told twice. Whenever Lily got THAT look on her face you'd better march or else there would be hell to pay later. He quickly sat up and got up off the couch.

"Find Harry, James!" Lily said urgently.

James whipped out his wand and said, "Harry Potter locatus!" He waited for a few moments before a scroll appeared in front of him. He glanced down it, his face turning drastically pale. Lily turned white as she saw that her husband was having a panic attack. Even Jamie stopped playing and looked up at his father, sensing that something was wrong.

"James," Lily sobbed out, "what is it? Where's Harry? Where's my baby?"

James just looked at Lily and silently handed her the scroll. Lily took one glance at the yellowy piece of parchment before collapsing onto the couch in hysterics, the parchment silently floating in the air in front of her. James just grabbed onto Lily and held her tight to his chest, his handsome face contorted with grief. He would contact his office at once after Lily had calmed down. Being a squadron leader with the Aurors did have its advantages and James fully intended to use those resources as soon as he could get his wife to stop crying. He was an auror and he would not stop until his son was back safe and sound within the Potter Manor at Godric's Hollow.

Jamie meanwhile was curious as to what had just happened. All that he knew was that something bad had happened to Harry, his brother, his twin. Jamie was suddenly upset at something happening to his younger brother. He was supposed to look out for him and he tried in vain to search through the twin bond he shared with Harry in the hope of finding out where he was. Nothing came. It was silent and as still as stone. Jamie's eyes began to water and he picked up the parchment from the floor trying to read what had made his parents so upset. He couldn't read everything but the top line was enough and he started crying immediately, sitting down on the floor and sobbing his heart out for his brother.

Harry Potter Locatus

Formerly in Potter Manor

Age: 5 years

Currently: Definitely not in UK/Europe.

Conclusion: Current status is unknown.

Harry Potter wasn't the only one though. There were another 11 bright white flashes throughout muggle and wizard homes alike with another 11 five year old children suddenly vanishing. And there were dozens of cries and screams as parents suddenly found themselves missing a child. This day would be known as the Black Day. The Daily Prophet were falling over themselves with headlines such as 'WHERE HAVE ALL OUR CHILDREN GONE?' and other newspapers crying out 'CHILDREN GONE. MINISTRY HAVE NO IDEA,' 'CASE OF THE VANISHING CHILDREN. Parents tell of white light' and 'AUROR POTTER'S SON VANISHED!' It would be a long time before the wizarding public had any idea of where their children had gone. 12 years will have passed before they return again and in a way no one could ever have imagined.

A/N: Hope that was better for those who said that the prologue was too short. I would agree but I was testing the waters. Next chappie will be up tomorrow probably. I'll most likely update every few days though come June it will be about once a week as I have exams. Yuck! Thanks once again to the fabulous reviews. Keep 'em coming! Oh and according to my Beta reader, greenfly, I should add that no, Lily and James are not dead that is why in the prologue it says that a light flew towards Lily and it WAS NOT GREEN!