Series: Choosing a Darker Path

Book 1: Beginnings

Prologue

October 31st, 1981. Godric's Hollow

It was a cold October night as Voldemort approached the small cottage of the supposed child of prophecy. Voldemort was certainly an imposing figure. The Dark Lord was a tall aged man who more resembled a cross between a snake and a man. He had pale skin and no real nose to speak of, instead he simply had slit nostrils that conformed to the front of his face. He wore pure black robes that were made of fine silk. However, the most prominent feature of Voldemort were his blood read eyes that promised death should one displease him. Voldemort had never been one to put any stock at all into the art of divination and would normally ignore such nonsense. But he was so very close to defeating the muggle loving fool Albus Dumbledore and his thrice dammed Order of the Phoenix. He could not risk anything stopping him now. Not with what was at stake. The fools that made up the vast majority of the Light were deluded. They thought that they could co-exist with the muggles, find common ground. Voldemort scoffed at the idea. Muggles were worthless, there was no common ground to be had. Muggles only knew violence, bigotry and hate. They feared what they did not understand and they attack that which they feared. His childhood had taught him everything he needed to know with regards to muggles. He had to win this war so he could steer the Wizarding World in the direction he knew they needed to go.

Even if he found the idea of anyone being his downfall laughable at best, he would not let his well-founded confidence in his own abilities blind him. He remembered that he had scrapped out of the dredges of society to become the most powerful wizard of his age and this child, this Harry Potter, could do the same if he was allowed to live and be trained. Voldemort would not let that happen.

As his throughs shifted from his goal to how he had come here in the first place. He inwardly smirked. The Potters were far too trusting of those they shouldn't have been. For the life of him, Voldemort was not sure why James Potter or Lilly Potter weren't their own secret keeper. It seemed to make the most sense to Voldemort. Never trust someone with your life, that was how he had lived. But regardless, the fact that the Potters had put their life in the hands of the rat Wormtail was all the better for him. That one had been his creature for years, the sniveling coward.

Perhaps they thought to be clever and divert all of the intensity of his focus onto James' best friend Sirius Black? Though if that were the case, why they wouldn't use someone that wasn't so well known to be their friend, Voldemort couldn't fathom. Even if their ruse had worked and he believed Black was the secret keeper, did the idiots really think that he wouldn't target Black, the wolf and the rat? And failing that, anyone else until he found the one who had the information he sought? It just goes to show that when Gryffindors try to be cunning, it leads to disaster.

Voldemort had now reached the small gate that led to the ground of the cottage the Potters were staying at. He sneered at the lowly accommodations that they had chosen. To think that Potter, a member of an old pureblood family would live in such a humble home was an insult. The manner that he had found James' father and mother use to stay in before their deaths not one year prior at Rodolphus' hands. Not only that but as Voldemort reached out with his magic to feel for the wards around the structure he was flabbergasted at what he found.

"They cannot be serious" he though derisively.

His magic was only giving him the impression of the Fidelius Charm, crude anti-apparition/anti-port key wards, and a very simple identification charm that prevented those not keyed into it from entering the area. Beside the Fidelius, which he could cross already, the other wards were extremely underpowered for the level of importance the Light was placing on the protection of the family.

"What is Dumbledore playing at?" Voldemort though.

Voldemort raised his wand and swiped it viciously at the wards he felt. He did not cast a spell per say, he simply put his intent to cross the wards behind a tendril his raw magic as it flowed through the yew wood of his wand. He smirked as the wards magic flared and died.

"This is simply too easy." He though as he strolled lazily down the broken stone path towards the house.

He waved his wand lazily and felt the familiar oppressive feeling as his wards were raised around the property and good many blocks around the home. His eyes roomed the windows glowing with faint light. He could see shadowy figures moving with some haste. It appeared that he had alerted them to his presence. It was no matter, he wanted them to at least put up somewhat of a challenge for him. He had to stave off the boredom after all. He walked towards the door and raised his wand.

"Bombarda" he though lazily. The air just in front of his wand shimmered as a barely noticeable transparent ball of energy raced towards the door. Upon contact the door exploded into a satisfying cloud of shrapnel. Voldemort proceeded at a steady pace into the front room, checking for any threats. He slid back slightly to avoid a red light that flew out of the corner of his left eye.

"A stunning spell" he thought, "How quaint. Someone is not playing to win".

Upon looking to the source of the stupefy, Voldemort was met with a defiant looking James Potter sporting a determined expression. Voldemort gave a slight bow before giving him a terrifying smile. James Potter was average in height and had a strong jaw and cheekbones but his face was soft in complexion. His rat's nest of hair was ruffled and unkempt as usual and his hazel eyes narrowed behind his black rimmed glasses.

"Hello James, fancy seeing you here".

"Voldemort" James snarled. "I will not allow you to hurt my family. I will destroy you before I let you touch my wife and son"

"Oh no?" Voldemort said giving him a sarcastic chuckle. "I am afraid that your bravado will get you nowhere with me Potter." He peered at him quizzically and raised his wand. "Shall we begin?" Voldemort quipped.

Meanwhile Upstairs…

Lilly Potter was absolutely terrified. She was very fair and had long brown hair, tined with a hint of red. She was rather skinny giving her an agile form and her eyes were brilliant green. Voldemort had come for her Harry and it seemed that their only real protection had been lost to them. She loathed to think what must have happened to Peter.

"How did he know it was Peter?", she though distraughtly. She certainly hopped that Peter would not have given in to Voldemort but it seemed that he had not been able to stand the torture the evil man no doubt put him under. She was skeptical of Sirius' idea about the secret keeper. However, James seemed to think it was a good idea and she wanted to trust her husband's judgement.

"Damnit" she though angrily. She couldn't be thinking about what ifs or dwelling on mistakes that she or James may have made right now. A blast from downstairs told her that Voldemort had come into the house. She started at Harry, her precious son. He looked at her with knowing eyes that reflected her own worries.

"He knows something is wrong" she thought dejectedly. That though alone sent a wave of despair through her. She shook her head to clear her mind and pulled her wand from her pocket in her Jeans. She then picked up the knife that she had grabbed from the potions kit she kept in James and her bedroom and drew it across her palm. The blood began to flow and she put the tip of her wand to It pulling strings of blood from her wound and weaving them like a grotesque thread and began to draw complicated runes under the crib that she had place Harry in. This was not the kind of magic that she would normally approve of but if blood magic would save her child, then she would do it. She would do anything for her little boy. She could hear blasts of magic and could feel the massive shifts of the building with the cacophony of spells that permeated a no doubt spectacular duel between her husband and the monster Voldemort.

"His final duel" Lilly sulked bitterly. She had finished the illustrations of runes and now she bit her lip before breathing in deeply. "It's for harry" she thought as she began the most important aspect of this twisted magic she now was using.

"I, Lily Jane Potter nee Evans swear on my magic and life that I love my son Harry James Potter with all my heart and am willing to sacrifice myself for him." As she finished her oath, a flash of white light shined around her sealing her vow and her fate. She pointed her want at the hidden runes and said in a clear voice "Hostias Praesidium". A tendril of orange magic flowed from her wand and attached itself to the anchor points of the wards. The tendril then attached itself to Lilly and the wards glowed bright orange. Finally, a large orange bubble appeared around the crib. It shimmered for a moment and then dissipated. She felt the extreme exhaustion that such a powerful and dark charm put on her. She was not accustomed to casting such powerful magic and certainly wasn't accustomed to magic that was so opposed to her typical magic, which rarely even moved in the grey spectrum. She took a moment to smile at her baby boy and his entire demeanor seemed to relax with that simple gesture. It seemed that he instinctually knew that he was safe now, or at the very least as safe as she could make him. She looked him in the eyes and placed her hand in his soft hair.

"You are so loved Harry. Remember that no matter that we are not there for you." She barely contained the croak that threatened to come out and forced her eyes closed as tears began to well in her yes. She composed herself and said In the softest voice possible "we will always love you."

It was at this point that Lilly noticed that the loud noises downstairs had ceased and for a fleeting moment she hopped that James had somehow defeated Voldemort. But the traitorous rational part of her mind swiftly dispelled that illusion. That small voice that she pretended not to her, even though it was in her own head, hissed the truth of the matter. Silence could only mean that her husband was dead and Voldemort was coming.

She banished the knife she used back to her bedroom, healed her hand and turned toward the door. She could feel nothing but determination. She now had to trick one of the evilest man that she had ever had the displeasure of meeting. She had to convince him that she had not done anything and on top of that she needed to put up a mask of that showed him what he wanted to see: a defenseless mother racked by grief for her lot in life. She needed him to believe that she was at his mercy. After all, she knew that she would need to die for the shield she had created to truly gain the power necessary to be effective against one with the level of power that Voldemort had.

"I can do this" she said in a steady voice.

"For Harry" she repeated in her mind.

Downstairs…

Voldemort smirked as he dodged a cutting curse that James threw at him. He was even mildly impressed with the power of it. He was having quite a fun time toying with the eldest Potter. They had traded a great many curses and while his were fairly dark on the whole he was amused that a few were slightly dark on James' part as well. It appeared he had stuck a nerve with the man.

"How cute" he thought. It wasn't as if the mudblood had tried to leave with the brat. He would have felt it if she had tried to vacate the premises. No, precious Lilly Potter was cowering in one of the bedrooms upstairs with the boy. He could have his fun toying with the Potter scion for a bit longer and then finish off the mudblood and her spawn.

"Confringo" he drawled in his mind. The orangish-red blast of energy leapt from his wand and detonated the wall behind James and caused a chunk of the wall to fall off and hit him on the back of his head. Voldemort twirled his wand as James clutched his badly bleeding scalp. He gave him a chastising grin.

"Tsk tsk tsk James" he said mockingly. "It appears you were a bit too slow". As James attempted to recover and moved his hands to raise his wand, Voldemort slashed his wand in a diagonal cut. A violet shimmering blade swiftly sailed to James' wand arm. The dark cutting curse sliced deep into James' wrist causing a cascade of blood to pour from the wound and James to drop his wand as he moaned in obvious pain.

"Well Potter, it has been fun. But I have a date with the rest of your family so we must cut this little distraction of ours short". He pointed his wand center mass and hissed "Avada Kedavra". A flash of bright green light bathed the hall with its glow and once it faded the Dark Lord was met with the lifeless stare of James Potter, all the light gone from his once defiant hazel eyes.

"Pity, you could have been so much more" Voldemort said. He then hopped up the stairs taking them two at a time. It was time to deal with the mudblood and then finish his purpose here. After all, he had a government to finish overthrowing and a glorious world to build. As he strode down the hall, he could see a cracked door with light flowing from it. Clearly the place dear Lilly had fled to lay just beyond. He placed his pale hand on the door and gently shoved it open, wand at the ready.

Once the room was visible to him, he saw Lilly Potter leaning against the crib and staring at him with clear fear in her eyes. His smirk showed his satisfaction. Though he did reflect that it was odd the why she didn't even have her wand out. No matter, if she was so frozen in fear as to not fight him then it might make granting his servant's request a little easier. For dear Severus had begged so sweetly for the mudblood's life and he was not one to deny his most loyal followers something as simple as that. Especially considering that Snape had given up the prophecy that led to this very moment. His thoughts were interrupted by a ear piercing shriek.

"Not Harry, please take me instead". Voldemort grimaced at the sound. Perhaps this would not be as easy as he had hoped.

"Step aside you silly girl. You need not die here".

"No anything but Harry, please" she begged, clasping her hands together. While Voldemort was usually amused by such displays, he began to grow irritated. He had already spent too much time here and needed to finish this. His Death Eaters were probably already finished with the Longbottoms, of course dependent upon the amount of fun sweat Bella wanted to have.

"One last chance for you girl. Stand…...aside" he whispered in a deadly quiet voice to her as he looked deep into the pools of emotion that were her eyes.

"Take me instead…" she said softly, trailing off. Tears began to streak on her face as she looked utterly defeated.

Voldemort stared at her for a moment before sighing. His follower would just have to understand, and if not, well he could get a new potions master. Perhaps not one as talented, but he would just have to make do. "Avada Kedavra" he snapped out and the thump of Lilly's body slumped to the floor as the green light faded. He slowly made his way over to the crib missing the very subtle crackle of energy on the floor linking the runes to the prone form of Lilly Potter. He no doubt would have noticed if he were not so focused on the final member of the Potter family. He stared at the young toddler stranding in the crib, looking at his off into space. The boy had similar facial features to his father, however he clearly inherited his small nose and more rounded jaw from his mother. His hair was almost as bad of a bird's nest as his father's. But the most striking feature off the young boy were his eyes that were early similar to the curse that took the child's parents.

"You know boy…" Voldemort said softly. At the sound of Voldemort's voice, the boy seemed to snap his attention to him and stare intently. While at the back of his mind he was slightly on unnerved at the intensity with which the boy gazed, he continued nevertheless. "…It didn't have to be this way. Your parents could have lived had they not been so foolish. They could have joined the right side of this war. Sure, your mother was a mudblood, but despite this undeniable flaw, she was talented. In the end that is all that really would have mattered to me. And your father, well…he certainly didn't have to be so bloody light. It isn't as if the Potter's have always been so pure. But no, he just had to follow in his blood traitor father's footsteps, didn't he?" Voldemort let out a hallow laugh and almost coughed when he saw the understanding in the child's eyes? The child surely didn't actually process what he was saying to him. Voldemort wasn't really speaking for the child's benefit. He was mostly thinking out loud. He shook his head ruefully and raised his wand.

"Goodbye, Harry Potter. Such a waste. Avada Kedavra". Voldemort watched as the streak of green light headed towards the boy and then impacted with a blinding orange light surrounding the crib. He felt the pull on his wand and he could not move as the green bolt linked with the shield brightened and he felt his magic being drained. Both magics, grew in brilliance until he saw miniscule fractures in the sphere preventing his spell from impacting the boy.

"This could not be possible!" Voldemort thought furiously as he tried to pry his wand away from the now firmly attached chain of dark magic. No magical barrier can stop any unforgivable curse, especially the killing curse. He watched as a slim strand of his spell finally sliced through the shield protecting the brat. It swiped like a whip across the child's forehead and weakly dissipated. A trickle of blood to flowed down the boy's face. It was at this point that the last of Voldemort's available magic reserved had faltered and he could no longer feed the chain energy and it snuffed out finally releasing its hold on him. However, this did not occur until an equally bright flash of green light sped towards him after building up on the surface of the shield. Voldemort though he would have enough time to avoid it but he was wrong, dead wrong. The rebounded killing curse hit him in his shoulder blade and all he knew was pain.

"Pain, why is there pain? There shouldn't be pain?" were his last panicked thoughts as the curse ripped his soul from what was left of his body. His violent scream could be heard as a massive explosion rocked the remains of the Potter home and blew a chunk out of the wall opposite the crib, bringing a section of the roof caving in. The blast wave destroyed the remaining weak shield that still surrounded Harry who was now clutching at his forehead. The residual force threw the injured boy to the back of the crib slamming his head on the railing and rendering the boy unconscious.

As the roar created by the magical explosion died down, all that could be heard was silence. Yet not all was still in Harry Potter's bedroom as an invisible soul shard sought out its master. It tried to find the closest thing it could to its master's magic and soon embedded itself in the swirling pool of dark magic on the face of the prone child. As it merged with the boy's body, its feeble intelligence sought to protect its new vessel and began to heal the damage the boy had suffered. The gash on the back of the boy's head healed and the cut on his forehead closed. All that was left was nothing but a pronounced lighting shaped scar.

Author's Notes: Well that is it for the prologue, next chapter we see the aftermath of that faithful night and begin to set the stage for the years to come. What will happen to Harry and how will his life change. Find out in the next chapter "The Boy Who Lived"