Choosing a Darker Path - Beginnings

by magicweb

Follow Harry Potter as he finds his true calling in the Wizarding World. Follow him as he carves his own path and proves that he is the most powerful wizard that will ever live. includes a Dark!Harry, Manipulative!Dumbledore and Harry/Draco. This is a SLASH fiction. If you are not into that sort of story, that is fine but you might not like later parts of this story.

3. Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived

Series: Choosing a Darker Path

Book 1: Beginnings

Chapter 1: The Boy Who Lived

October 31st, 1981. Tottenham, London

Sirius Black was sitting in a muggle club enjoying what little peace he could find these days. Sirius had long dark curls that framed around a very sharp and aristocratic face. He had high cheek bones and a rigid jaw. His eyes were a dark brown and glittered with mischief. If for not the muggle attire he currently sported, some would say he was of perfect pureblood pedigree. He was currently in hiding due to the present circumstances. As such, he had rented a small flat in a rather shabby part of London. This was part of the plan to keep the heat off of Peter. He was sure that the Death Eaters would look to him as James and Lily's secret keeper, due to his close friendship with James. Sirius grew up in a most Ancient and Nobile family and he knew for a fact that the delicate purebloods and wizard raised halfbloods avoided the Muggle World like the plague. Consequently, they didn't have any semblance of navigation when they were forced to go there and stood out like a sore thumb to boot. It made blending in and keeping out of sight that much easier for Sirius. As long as he remained safe, then they would have no reason to go after the real secret keeper, Peter. Before Sirius went into hiding, James had insisted on giving him a small necklace that was charmed by a brilliant little spell Lily had developed. The necklace was tied into the alarm aspect of the wards at Godric's Hollow. Should the wards ever be breached, the charm would become extremely hot and Sirius would know his friends were in trouble.

Sirius was enjoying the Halloween festivities that the club put on. He snickered at the muggle theme of the year: Vampires. "Oh, if only the muggles knew how truly terrifying Vampires really were" he thought light-heartedly. The smile that graced his face soon vanished as his chest began to burn causing him to pale considerably. Upon pulling out the necklace, he realized that it was indeed the source of the heat. He bolted out of seat and sprinted through the crowd of muggles. He began shoving people out of the way, ignoring the various shouts and curses. It seemed as the club's pulsing techno beat became a soundtrack to his maneuvers. After what felt like an eternity, but was surly only a few minutes, he arrived in one of the hallways that led to the loo. After entering the hall, he looked around and with no muggles within the immediate vicinity, he whipped out his wand and turned on the spot.

October 31st, 1981. Godric's Hollow

After the crushing sensation of apparition abated, Sirius found himself staring at the main square of Godric's Hollow.

"Damn" Sirius cursed vehemently.

He was knocked off course. That only meant one thing. Anti-Apparition wards must have been around Godric's Hallow. These must have been new as the wards that James had put up only extended to the edge of the property. Indeed, as he thought about it, these wards msust have been very powerful to knock him this far from the home. There was nothing for it, he stumbled as he began to run and veered down the main road. He was ten minutes from the Potter household if he really huffed it. Of course, that is exactly what he did. His friend's lives were in danger. His godson's life was also in danger. And loath as he was to admit it, since he really did love James as a brother, his godson was important. As he ran he could only think about one thing.

"Don't let me be too late".

Sirius arrived at the cottage just in time to be slammed to the ground by an explosion. He had no idea what could have caused this. But, considering the current situation, it couldn't be anything good. As soon as the spinning in his head had stopped and the ringing in his ears became less prominent, he shakily pulled himself onto his feet. He began to jog to the open hole that used to be the front door. Entering the front room, he knew something was very wrong. It was too quiet, much to quiet. His eyes narrowed and he spotted a something on the ground. He quickly moved over to it. But once he got closer, his chest tightened.

The constricting ache he felt reflected a violent mix of anger and grief as his eyes looked upon the prone body of his best friend. James' battered and bloody corpse lay sprawled on the ground with his head leaning against the wall near the stairs. He felt like his world was collapsing around him and had he not felt the pull of his godfather bond, he may have sunk into despair. But once that bond asserted itself in his mind, he realized with a mix of elation and hysteria that his godson must still be alive. Forcing his eyes closed and taking a deep breath, he tore his gaze away from the body of his best friend and began the arduous task of climbing the stairs.

Upon reaching the top, Sirius walked down the dark hallway. It seemed that the electric lighting in the home had gone out and as he approached the twisted door of Harry's bedroom, he felt the district draft of open air. He roughly pushed on the door that seemed to have been fussed to the frame and was met with a loud groan of wood bending and breaking as he forced his way into the bedroom. Finally entering the room, he fully took in the carnage before him.

He nostrils were assaulted with a pungent smell of leaking water, and smoke? He realized that a small fire had started on the carpeting of the room towards the far corner. He quickly extinguished the flames with a swipe of his wand. Speaking of that corner of the room, all he could see was the outside air and the precariously hanging ceiling. He looked down and his eyes were immediately drawn to a distinct blast pattern centering on a spot in the middle of the carpet. As he inspected the damage to the floor, he saw the form of Lilly. If he didn't know any better, he could simply say that she was sleeping. There was only one problem with that impression, and that was her eyes. They were not closed like they would be if she were simply sleeping. No, they were open wide, forming a terrified expression. Yet again Sirius almost collapsed in grief upon seeing her sweet face twisted such it had never been in the all the years that he had known her. But yet again, his godfather bond put a strain on his magic. He was yet again reminded of his responsibility. He looked to the crib and tears of joy sprang in his eyes. In front of him was a still breathing Harry.

Sirius moved over to the crib and scooped his unconscious godson into his arms. He buried his face into the young boy's neck, taking in his sent. He did this if only to ensure that the boy was truly real. "His godson was safe" he thought as he began to finally relax. He choked out a sob and simply squeezed the boy tightly. After a few moments, he placed the boy on the floor and ran his wand over him. He was never very good at healing, but he could at least cast a basic diagnostic charm. The charm caused the boy to glow faintly for a moment before smoke rose from his body and displayed the results as wisps of text. Harry had a concussion and was under a severe amount of stress, but was otherwise unharmed. Sirius quickly pointed his wand at the boy's face and whispered "Rennervate".

Sirius nearly jumped for joy when Harry slowly opened his eyes. The boy gave Sirius a weak smile and Sirius quickly scooped the boy up and retreated from the room, wanting to spare Harry the sight of Lilly. He quickly walked down the hallway and pushed Harry's head into his shoulder. He sped down the stairs rapidly and immediately out onto the front lawn. He sat on the grass and simply rubbed Harry's back. Whether it was to soothe Harry or himself he was not sure. After a few minutes of this his resolve broke completely and he began to sob. He began to rock back and forth and he felt the toddler's arms wrap around his neck, seeming to be offering him comfort. He laughed a hollow laugh at the actions of his godson. To think that he the adult was being comforted by a child barely older than a baby.

After about five minutes of simply sitting with Harry in his arms, he heard the telltale cracks of apparition and his hand clapped tightly around his wand. After a tense moment, he realized that the men who had arrived were Aurors. While he was still warry of the newcomers he didn't want to antagonize them if they truly were the allies they appeared to be. A man in his mid-thirties with a disheveled appearance walked up to him and spoke with a gruff voice.

"We are responding to an alert by Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore. He informed us that the Potters may have been attacked by Voldemort's Forces"

Sirius stared up at the man with a look of indignation. "Took you long enough" he snapped in a cold tone.

"Apologies, but this was the soonest we could mobilize. Was there an attack or not?" he asked simply, ignoring Sirius clear anger.

"Yes…. James and Lilly are dead. They are inside" Sirius bit out barely containing his loathing.

"Alright. Jenson watch him while I take Williamson, Savage, Scrimgeour, and Proudfoot inside to investigate" the Auror barked out. He then proceeded with the other four Aurors to move into the house.

A roar in the distance caught Sirius and Jenson's attention and Sirius looked around for the source, yet found none. A moment of clarity washed over him and he looked up at the sky. There was a small dot that he knew could only be one thing, Hagrid. He had leant the friendly giant of a man his flying motorbike a few weeks ago and the man should still have it. Sirius' mind was preoccupied with grim thoughts as he watched the motorbike slowly grow larger and larger in the night sky.

"Where is Peter, what happened to him? Did the Death Eaters somehow find him and how in the blazes did they figure out he was the secret keeper? As soon as Harry is safe I need to find him and figure out what happened. I owe that to James and Lilly." Sirius let these thoughts roll around his mind until he was startled by the distinctive screech of tires as Hagrid had landed and now was pulling towards the house. The giant cut the engine and as gracefully as he could, he disentangled himself from the motorbike. Hagrid was a twice as tall as any man you would see. He had to have giants blood in him somehow. He had a full healthy beard that covered most of his face. He walked up to Sirius at a faster pace than Sirius was accustomed to seeing him. Hagrid bid Jenson hello and explained that he was there on Dumbledore's orders. Hagrid stared at Sirius for a second, his brown eyes widening in surprise before speaking in his hardy voice.

"Oh, Sirius I didn't realize ya were here. Dumbledore said that James and Lilly's wards been triggered he said." Hagrid looked at him with coked head for a moment and then exclaimed "Oy! Is little Harry alright there?"

Sirius looked at Hagrid for a moment before responding that Harry was fine.

"James and Lilly?" Hagrid questioned apprehensively.

Sirius shook his head and looked at the ground. Hagrid choked back a sob and simply looked lost. Then he put his chin up with determination and began to speak again.

"Dumbledore told me to bring lil' Harry to Hog'arts." Sirius eyes snapped to the giant's face as he said this.

"I don't know Hagrid, I really think I should keep Harry with me" Sirius said hoarsely. Hagrid looked a little put out by Sirius' statement and twisted his hands nervously. He began to speak again.

"Come on Sirius. This is Dumbledore We're talkin' 'bout. You know he wouldn't ask if he didn't think it was 'portant. 'Sides the little tike should have Madam Pomfrey look him over just be safe, eh?"

Sirius didn't really like this idea that much but then he thought about Peter and finding out what caused all of this to happen. He nodded solemnly at Hagrid and began to hand Harry over to him. Harry began to squirm and began to cry out in protest. Sirius looked at his young godson sorrowfully and gave him a weak grin and simply stated that everything would be alright. He ran his fingers through Harry's hair and this seemed to cow the child for the moment.

"I will be back with you soon. I promise Harry" Sirius said.

Hagrid began to wrap Harry up in a blanket he produced from a hidden pocket in his moleskin cloak and placed Harry on his hip. Jensen informed Hagrid that someone would be at Hogwarts to report on the Aurors' findings as soon as they were able. Hagrid nodded and slipped back on to the motorbike. A moment later the large vehicle roared to life and Hagrid jetted down the street and was soon airborne. Sirius stared after the dark spot in the sky longingly until it had gotten too far up for him to continue to follow it. He cast his gaze back towards the grass and began pulling at it absent-mindedly while he thought about what he wanted to do next.

Soon the head Auror, Sirius never did seem to ask him his name, returned and began to question Sirius about his role in tonight's events. After Sirius gave him a synopsis of the proceeding hours, the Auror seemed sated for the moment.

"You will come into the Auror office tomorrow for further questioning and so we can take an official statement. However, given the circumstances I see no reason not to let you go for now. I will tell you however, that I am fairly certain you will not need to worry about Voldemort any longer" the Auror said in his gruff voice that never seemed to change no matter what he was speaking about.

Sirius' head shot up so fast that he was certain to have whiplash. "What?" he said, the disbelief evident in his voice. The Auror just seemed to stare at him blankly until finally explaining.

"After preliminary diagnostic charms had been cast, we can say that it seems that Voldemort exchanged several spells with Lord Potter and eventually killed him with the killing curse. As far as Lady Potter goes, it seems that Voldemort either cornered her without her wand ready or she was taken by surprise as there doesn't seem to have been a struggle in the upstairs bedroom which we assume belongs to the Potter heir. Lady Potter was killed by a single killing curse" the Auror was about to continue when Sirius interrupted him.

"While I love to hear how my friends died…." Sirius bit out, his voice dripping with sarcasm and contempt "…I fail to see how this means Voldemort is no longer a concern." The Auror quickly placed his hands up in a gesture of surrender and quickly stated that he was getting there.

"Mr. Black, we also found that a single killing curse was fired in the direction of the crib but seems to not have made impact on any surface within the room. At this time we do not want to speculate how but it seems as though the curse was…...rebounded. As I have stated we do not want to speculate on the circumstances too much until more tests can be run. But, from our initial sweep it seems that while no body exists it is clear that this curse struck Voldemort as his magical signature is present within the epicenter of the charred carpet. We believe that his death is what caused the explosion that damaged the home. However, this is only what we can determine right now. As I have said more testing is needed. But I don't see anyway anyone could have survived that".

As the Auror finished his explanation, Sirius was slacked jawed. "Could Voldemort really be dead?" He thought. He didn't know if it was possible, but he had other matters to attend to. "Thank you. I really must be going. I have had a long and trying night tonight. I will be at the ministry as soon as I can to give my official statement" Sirius said trying to remain as calm as possible. Dead Voldemort or not, they still didn't arrive in time to save James and Lilly. The Auror gave him a quick jerk of his head and turned to go back into the house motioning for Jensen to follow him.

"I need to find Peter" Sirius though as he pulled out his wand and apparated.

October 31st, 1981. Infirmary Ward, Hogwarts

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Order of Merlin – First Class, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards paced back and forth as his mind raced to come up with a plan of action. The deceptively aged looking professor stroked his long white beard that for not the tie that held it about his center chest would have stretched to his knees. "So many possibilities" he thought. An Auror had arrived at Hogwarts a few hours ago to give an initial report to him on what had transpired at Godric's Hollow. If the initial findings were accurate then Dumbledore's plans had born fruit. Ever since Sybil Trelawney had delivered her prophecy in the Hogg's Head, Dumbledore had quickly formed plans for the savior child. There were two possibilities for a child of the prophecy. Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. Both fit the prophecy's criteria, though Harry did match it better. Though the more Dumbledore though about it now the more the child of prophecy being Harry Potter made more sense. The Dark Lord would need to mark him as his equal and that scar that now blemished the boy's forehead was the best mark Dumbledore could imagine. And now little Harry had managed to defeat Tom. How Dumbledore was not sure. He had his suspicions that the love Lilly had for Harry may have played a part. "Love was the purest form of magic, after all" he thought cheerfully. However, he would have to examine the scene himself before he could make any concreate conclusions. Either way, Harry Potter would be hailed as their savior, Dumbledore had no doubt of that.

Just as the clock stroked 11:00PM, the doors to the infirmary opened and Hogwarts' Infirmary matron Madam Poppy Pomfrey stepped out into the hall. Madam Pomfrey was a plump woman with gray hair, fair complexion, brilliant blue eyes and a kind face which seemed to help relax her patients. She peered at Dumbledore and he gave her a charming smile as he stopped pacing. She returned his smile before speaking in a hushed tone.

"Albus, I have finished my tests and while the boy is alright physically, I am gravely concerned." The no nonsense matron gave a fleeting glare of annoyance as she thought about the results of her numerous in-depth diagnostic charms. Albus raised an eyebrow and gestured with his hand and bid the matron to continue with her explanation. "Well…" she started. "The boy has a mild concussion but it seems that the actual injury that caused it has healed itself. Accidental magic, no doubt."

"No doubt" Dumbledore commented dryly.

"As I was saying…" Madam Pomfrey continued. "The boy is also showing preliminary signs of minor magical exhaustion which I am fairly certain is due to his magic needing to heal the injuries he sustained. His magical core shows minor signs of stress which I would normally chock up to the trying night he has had were it not for the results that concern me the most." She paused for a moment.

"And those are, Poppy?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Well, his rather noticeable scar is teaming with dark magic." She said gravely. "I have tired countless times to purge it form the wound but it seems to be buried under the skin and is resistant to every healing charm I know. I consulted with Horus and he seems to have no potion based remedy that he can think of either once I gave him the results of my diagnostic spells. I have been able to determine that there is a thin link between the boy's magical core and this concentration of dark magic. As of yet, there seems to be little to no magical transfer between the two areas but as you can imagine I am still warry about leaving such a potential danger in the boy. But right now I am stumped on what do. I could consult some specialists from Saint Mongos. Perhaps…"

"Do you really believe that to be necessary, Poppy?" Dumbledore interrupted.

"Albus, yes I would think so. They might know more than I do and I do not want to neglect to peruse any possibilities of healing the boy." Poppy said.

"Yes, but do you really think anyone will be able to do anything about it?" His voice soft and grave.

"Well likely not, but Albus I must insist…" She began.

"I understand, I really do Poppy" Dumbledore said in a placating tone. "However, I must request that we do not involve anyone outside of the Order in this matter. I am concerned for Mr. Potter's safety. Whether or not the speculation of the Aurors on the scene at Godric's Hollow is true does not lessen the danger that Mr. Potter could potentially face." Dumbledore said as if giving a lesion. "We must be vigilant in protecting the child. If you say that you do not believe he is in immediate danger, I could attempt to put a magical block between the concentrated dark magic and young Harry's magical core. That way the dark magic cannot harm the boy" Dumbledore concluded.

Madam Pomfrey looked skeptical but after a few moments of Dumbledore giving her a pleading look, she acquiesced. "I suppose if you did institute the block it would be okay for him. I would want to monitor him for a few hours before I can release him." Dumbledore beamed at her.

"As always Poppy you are most gracious with this old man's requests and always keep the safety of your charges a top priority" Dumbledore chirped in a gleeful tone. Madam Pomfrey looked less than impressed.

"Albus you will find that flattery will simply garner a response of 'Don't push your luck'" Poppy said in a cool tone. Dumbledore bowed his head in submission as he knew he may have gone a little overboard.

"Well, I will cast the block on Harry and then I will let you get back to work" Dumbledore replied. He then swiftly but with quiet grace slipped into the infirmary and put the necessary block on the connection between Harry's magical core and the dark magic pool in his scar. He simply hopped it would be enough.

"Good night Poppy" he said softly after he had finished.

"Good night, Albus" Madam Pomfrey replied in a warm tone.

November 1st, 1981. Headmasters Office, Hogwarts

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office contemplating. He needed to find a place for Harry to go. He knew Sirius would gladly take in the boy, but that would just not do. Harry needed to have a certain attitude if he were to fulfill his role as savior of the Wizarding World. Dumbledore needed the boy to not have a big head and to be humble in everything. He needed the boy to be very, for lack of a better term Gryffindorish. Brave, loyal, humble, all good traits it seemed to Dumbledore. However, the most important trait he needed Harry Potter to have was malleability. For the greater good, Harry needed to play his part. Harry may have defeated Tom for the moment. But, Dumbledore had suspected Tom had taken drastic actions to put protections in place in case of an issue just like this. Dumbledore would help guide the boy for he knew that eventually Tom and Harry would cross paths once again. They had to for Tom to be finished once and for all. However, in order to give Harry the assistance he would require. Dumbledore needed the boy to listen to him unquestioningly. "But how do I create circumstances to shape the child exactly as I would wish" Dumbledore contemplated intently. "He must be away from the Wizarding World" Dumbledore decided. It would be the only way he could avoid his fame and not get to arrogant. After all, Harry was James' son and while Dumbledore had loved James like the son he never had, he would freely admit that the man had always thought he was better and more powerful than he actually was. To make things worse, Harry would actually be powerful enough to back up a bit of arrogance. He wasn't sure how he would deal with Sirius Black yet, but he was sure he would come up with something.

Dumbledore had been able to read over the diagnostic charms that Poppy had cast on young Harry's magical core. If the readings were correct, and Dumbledore had no reason to believe they weren't, the boy would be shockingly powerful by the time he had reached Hogwarts age, let alone his magical majority. Dumbledore leaned back in his chair. "Where in the Muggle World should I put the boy?" Dumbledore thought. And then the answer hit him. "Petunia Evans, No Dursley now" Dumbledore corrected himself. "Yes, Petunia was such a sweet girl begging me to attend Hogwarts with Lilly" Dumbledore remembered. He had to reject her of course, she was only a muggle and had no magic to use. He would need to encourage her to give Harry the environment that would suit him. He wanted her to raise Harry in a very strict and constricting environment. He couldn't allow too much freedom during the crucial early years of Harry's development. He needed the boy to not like his home life very much. It didn't have to be horrible by any means, it just simply needed to be nothing compared to the life Dumbledore could offer him at Hogwarts. The boy would come to depend on Dumbledore and would do anything the Headmaster asked him to, if only to stay in such an enchanting place such as Hogwarts.

It was at this point that Dumbledore came to a second decision. The boy could not know he was a wizard at all. Not until the moment he would receive his letter. This would give his home life a contrast of boredom and mediocrity compared to his school life. Yes, this was all coming together nicely in his head. Now to put it to practice. Dumbledore pulled out parchment and ink from his desk drawer and pulled a quill from the holder on his desk. He began to pen a letter to Petunia. As he finished the letter, he tapped the parchment with his wand which caused it to fold into perfect thirds and he slipped it into a parchment envelope and addressed it to Petunia. That finished he stood up and walked to his fireplace. He grabbed a small bit of floo powder and threw it into the crackling fire. Once the flames turned he green called out "Deputy Headmistress' Office, Hogwarts" in a clear voice. He stuck his head into the flames and after a brief spinning sensation, he could see the office of Minerva McGonagall. He saw said woman leaning over some paper's, no doubt grading some students work or another.

"Minerva, would be so kind as to join me in my office" he asked her politely. McGonagall stood up and began walking towards the fireplace. Dumbledore backed up quickly and after a "whoosh" from the fireplace saw the ever-stern looking face of his deputy. Minerva McGonagall was a woman in her mid-sixties. She had brown hair tied into a bun that showed her long and wrinkled face. She wore round high end spectacles over her green eyes that could pierce into a student's soul. She gave Dumbledore a curt nod before sitting down into one of the cozy armchairs that were on the opposite side of his desk.

"Thank you for coming Minerva" Dumbledore said with a smile. "I would like to speak to you about the living arrangements for young Harry Potter" he continued. "It is my intent to send Harry with the only family he has left, his muggle aunt Petunia Dursley and her husband" he finished. McGonagall looked at Dumbledore curiously before replying.

"Albus do you believe that is the wisest course of action?" She asked. "While I understand that this Petunia is Harry's family, wouldn't he be safer with a wizarding family?" She suggested. Dumbledore was relieved she didn't mention Sirius. She must have not known or remembered that Sirius was the boy's godfather.

"On the contrary, Minerva" Dumbledore said almost teasingly. "The safest place will be his aunt's home once I cast powerful blood wards." Dumbledore said.

"Blood wards?" McGonagall looked quite shocked.

"Yes, my dear, blood wards" Dumbledore took on a sadden expression "I believe that Lilly's sacrifice has given Harry a powerful protection that I can tie into such wards. It is my belief that it was Lilly's love that saved young Harry." At this point Dumbledore changed his expression of one of hope.

"Are you quite sure, Albus?" McGonagall said, looking quire skeptical.

"I am" Dumbledore replied simply.

"Where do these muggles live?" McGonagall asked.

"Surrey" Dumbledore replied cautiously.

"Do you have an address? I wish to visit these muggles myself. I want to have an idea of the type of people we will be leaving him with." Said McGonagall.

"I am sure that is not…" Dumbledore began.

"I can assure you it is quite necessary" McGonagall said in a tone that brokered no argument.

"Very well Minerva" Dumbledore signed. "The address is 4 Privet Drive, Surry".

"When do you plan on taking him there?" McGonagall asked.

"I planned on doing that tonight" Dumbledore replied.

"Well then, it appears that I should be getting a move on then" McGonagall said as she stood up.

"I will leave you to it then Minerva" Dumbledore said. As McGonagall returned through the fireplace to her office Dumbledore cursed softly. He would have to convince her that this was the best situation. He hopped that Petunia was the same as he remembered and he hopped that her husband wasn't going to ruin things for him. "Though even if Minerva disagreed with his decision, It was the best place for Harry. Both for the boy's safety and for my own plans." Albus thought as he walked out of his office intending to inform Hagrid of his need of him tonight. Left on his desk was that morning's copy of the Daily Profit. Its main headline proclaiming the downfall of Voldemort. However, the next story on the front page read "Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived?".

November 1st, 1981. London

Sirius Black was absolutely furious. "That bloody traitor, I'll kill the bastard" He thought darkly. He had just left the apartment that Peter had been hiding in. There was absolutely no sign of a struggle at all. The wards were still up and strong. There was no damage and the door was even locked. Sirius could only come to one conclusion, the spy they suspected in their midst wasn't Remus, it was Peter all along. "When I get my hands on that filth…" he muttered as he strode form the building. He realized that in order to find Peter he would have to hope that he wasn't behind any wards that would prevent tracking spells. He pulled out his wand and said "inveniret hominem Peter Pettigrew". A small ball of light shot from his wand and was suspended in space momentarily until it began to zoom away at a fairly decent pace. Sirius began to follow it. He knew it would not get more than 10 meters form him and would wait for him to catch up should it near that distance. It wasn't the most efficient way to locate someone. But without anything to anchor a more powerful location spell to, such as a piece of the rat's flesh, he would have to make do.

As he followed the light he thought about what he would do. He considered just killing Peter for his horrible betrayal. This idea certainly would feel the best to him. But the more he thought about it, the less he liked that idea. He wanted something much more than revenge. He wanted to know why. Why had the bastard abandoned the friends? Why would he throw all of them away? Money, Power, Prestige? Sirius really didn't know. That didn't seem like Peter. Fear, perhaps? That was the most likely scenario, but Peter didn't have to be the secret keeper. No one would have looked down upon him had he refused. So that really didn't make any sense. The more Sirius thought the about it the more he grew frustrated. Finally, he decided that he would not kill the rat….at least not right away. He needed to have his answers.

November 1st, 1981. Surrey, England.

A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive. This was the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. The neat rows of houses that all somehow seemed to look the same, despite the vast differences in their occupants, seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see. It was eerily quiet in this isolated slice of suburbia. However, the silence was broken when a soft crack could be heard near the end of the street. Albus Dumbledore stored purposely down the street, clicking his Deluminator softly and watching with mild interest as the various lights were snuffed out of the street lamps that provided the only light on the street. Once all light had been cleared, Dumbledore walked in front of the dark confines of Number 4, his destination.

A large black cat with distinctive circular markings around it's eyes hopped up on the fence post Dumbledore was standing next to. "Ah Minerva, how has the watching been going" Dumbledore said with a mild chuckle. He watched with a small smile as the visage of a cat shifted into a much more humanoid figure. McGonagall gave him a slight glare and started speaking in a very strict tone.

"Well Albus, I can tell you this. It has not gone as splendidly as you seem to think it has."

"Oh?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, my worries have been more than confirmed as far as I am concerned. These muggles at this home are the worst sort Albus!" She said tensely.

"Minerva…" Dumbledore began in a slightly exasperated tone.

"No. I don't want to hear it Albus. They truly are horrid people. Vernon Dursley especially. There must be another place Harry can go!" She cried out hotly.

"Alas my dear, there simply is not. No place can offer as much protection as here can once the blood wards are cast. I cannot risk Harry's safety be in jeopardy. Even if his family is not the most ideal of people, I can assure you that I have made it very clear in the letter I intend to give them that Harry is to be cared for as best as they can. It is their duty and I will intend to hold them to it" he said sternly. McGonagall looked quite put out as she began to speak again.

"Be that as it may, I do not feel right about this. He will not have a happy childhood here. It just will not be possible with these people. Mark my words, Albus."

"Perhaps you are partially right. I do not expect Harry will have the ideal childhood here, but times are trying and I would rather have him grow up safe than grow up with the perfect childhood until the one day some supporter of Voldemort cuts the boy down and ends him…" Dumbledore lectured.

"Albus!" McGonagall replied in utter shock. "You cannot truly believe that…" she started

"But Minerva, this is exactly what I fear. It is what kept me up last night. Harry must be safe. It is imperative that he is protected. But do not worry my dear. I assure you I will look after him and if he is under any danger, any at all, I will remove him from here." He said placatingly.

"I suppose we could just see with a trial run, perhaps" she said after thinking it over for a moment. While she clearly looked like she was not the biggest fan of the idea, she was coming around. And that was all Dumbledore needed for the moment. He could keep her in the dark about any of the strictness that Petunia and her husband might put on the boy. After all, she may overreact if she knew what Dumbledore intended for the boy. Dumbledore turned his head at a distant roar in the sky. "Ah, that must be Hagrid. Good, we can get this over with then" he thought.

As the motorbike grew larger in the sky, Dumbledore proceeded to walk the periminator of the property weaving his wand in a complicated pattern. McGonagall could see he was drawing out the complex series of wards he had spoken of earlier. After a few minutes of this, Dumbledore pulled out a phial of what was clearly blood and pooled it around a small stone engraved with complex runes. He then buried the stone deep under the front lawn.

Soon the Sirius' motorbike landed bringing Hagrid, Harry and a small sack of belongings with it. Hagrid removed himself from the bike and walked over to Dumbledore with tears in his eyes.

"'m Sorry Headmaster" he sniffled. "It just is so sad that he will going away for such a long time." Hagrid said with a look of pan upon his face."

"There, there Hagrid. It won't be too long. Harry will soon be returning to us and you can come get him when he is ready to start school." The half-giant seemed to brighten up at such a prospect.

"I spose it isn't that long…..." he trailed off, showing a little uncertainty but he seemed to be holding himself much better.

Dumbledore looked at Harry a moment, before pulling out a wand and conjuring a basket to set the boy in. He then cast a powerful sleeping spell to keep the boy immobile and then proceeded to cast a warming charm that should last throughout the night. He placed his letter on the boy's chest and turned to leave, motioning for the other's to follow him.

November 2nd, 1981. London

Sirius Black was so very close. He could almost taste victory as he finally saw the bastard. Peter Pettigrew was doing his best to be inconspicuous while in the muggle crowd. Sirius quickly canceled his tracking spell and moved towards the rat. "Now all I have to do is stun him and get out of here before anyone notices" he thought. But before he could put his plan into motion, Peter looked up and caught Sirius staring at him. It seemed as if time froze as clear fear passed through Peter's eyes. Sirius stopped and tensed as Peter was about to draw his wand. He was shocked when instead of pointing a wand at him, Peter just pointed his finger at him with an expression of….anger?

"You!" Peter shouted.

Sirius was quite taken aback. "Him? What did he mean him?" He thought Peter must have been losing it. He didn't even know what to say.

"Sirius, you betrayed James and Lilly!" Peter continued to scream as he finally pulled out his wand.

Sirius' temporary stupor was somewhat broken as his survival instincts kicked in. he pulled his own wand out and prepared himself for Peter to begin to throw curses at him. The muggles in the area had all turned to stare at this rather odd display. Sirius had the distinct impression that the wands in their hands must look utterly ridiculous to the muggles. However, Peter never sent any curses his way. In fact, his wand was never even pointed towards Sirius. Sirius saw the organge fiery light leave peter's wand and everything seemed to move in slow motion as his eyes moved to the target Peter seemed to be aiming for.

The spell was headed for some sort of muggle pipe that stuck out of the street slightly. It was at that point that Sirius saw the muggle symbol that he recognized as indicating the presence of flammable gas. Less than a second later a massive explosion rocked the street that they were standing on. Even though Sirius was a fair distance away, he could not remain standing and dropped to one knee. Peter was no better and was actually knocked to the ground by the force of the blast. All Sirius could hear was shouting, screaming, and moans of pain. He watched as Peter drew his wand across one of his finger's numbly. Peter than began to shrink down and vanished out of sight. It took Sirius a moment to realize what had just happened. Peter was gone and he had set Sirius up? When did he become clever instead of just afraid? Sirius actually chuckled at the absurdity of the whole situation he now found himself in. In fact, something most have completely broken inside Sirius as instead of shouting at the unfairness of it all, instead of pounding his fists to release the torrent of anger he could still register at the back of his mind, he simply laughed and laughed.

As the muggles tried to flee the scene, some running for help, some running to simply get away, cracks of apparition could be heard all around the devastated street. Aurors and obliviates poured in to the busy muggle area intent on cleaning up whatever magic had caused such a ruckus. When they found the hysterical Sirius Black with his wand lazily pointing towards the carnage, they immediately assumed that the man had gone completely mental and decided that some muggle killing might loosen the binds of insanity. He was a Black after all, they reasoned. The Obliviators began detaining fleeing muggles for information before wiping their minds. They soon had conflicting stories of people saying that one or the other of the strange men had blown up the street. However, a clear theme emerged as many had the recollection of smaller man accusing a "Sirius" of betraying a "James" and a "Lilly". Within minutes some of the Aurors and Obliviators already had it in their minds that Black must have given the secret of the Potter's whereabouts to Voldemort whom people had started now simply referring to as "He who Must Not Be Named" or "Who Know Who". Add to this an ambitious head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement Bartimaeus Crouch was eyeing the job of Minister for Magic and it was unsurprising that the headline for the Daily Prophet on November 3rd simply stated, "Sirius Black Sent to Azkaban for the betrayal of James and Lilly Potter and murder of 13 Muggles".

Author Notes: Well that's a wrap for this chapter. I know most of this chapter was setup for future events but the story can now begin in earnest. I tried my best to portray the character's realistically here. For example, Dumbledore is not evil or anything, he just wants what's best and clearly believes in the idea of the needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few. In this case that is Harry. I believe this is reasonably in line with his cannon portrayal. I did make McGonagall a little more passionate in her resistance to Dumbledore here as I think that without it, Harry really would really put her in the same category as Dumbledore. Hope everyone enjoyed it and please put in a review so that I can get an idea of how I am doing with this story.

From now on, most chapter's in the story will be from Harry's perspective. Next chapter, we will find out how Harry's early life goes. How will a more intelligent and cunning Harry deal with his new family. How will he react when he discovers he has "a gift" and what will Petunia and Vernon do? Find out with the next chapter, The Dursleys.