Second chapter today! :D Enjoy!

Chapter 9: Night of Tears

Dumbledore and Snape fell through shifting and swirling colors, landing on a cobblestone road covered in darkness. Ahead of them stood a fifteen-year younger Albus Dumbledore and a fifteen-year younger Hagrid, both gazing at a ruined house that had the roof collapsed in and smoke rising in nearly invisible billows against the midnight sky. Snape's breath caught in his throat.

"Are they in there 'eadmaster?" Hagrid asked, his voice thick with tears.

"I'm afraid so Hagrid." Dumbledore said sadly.

Hagrid sobbed as softly as his great lungs would allow as great tears slid down his cheeks and into his bushy beard.

"Come now Hagrid, let's get this over with." The two men started forward, with the older Dumbledore and Snape following close behind.

As they got closer, the damage to the house was more pronounced. The entire second floor was demolished, the roof caving in and the windows blown out. The front door had been blasted off its hinges and revealed a tall staircase.

They made their way through the front doorway, into a ruined hall that was only somewhat intact. A few pictures hug on the wall, dust and grit from the destroyed house clinging to their glass coverings. The inside of the ouse was shadowy, so the younger Dumbledore took out what looked like a silver cigarette lighter and clicked it, releasing orbs of light into the air.

The light cast a soft glow around the entryway, illuminating the hall leading to the stairs. A dark shape lay on the ground a few feet away. Hagrid let out another choked sob, looking down at the lifeless body of James Potter.

Tears fell from the eyes of both the older and younger Dumbledores. A hard mask formed over Snape's eyes as he saw, again, the dead body of his worst enemy. Silently the group moved on, unable to stand there any longer.

Snape and Dumbledore followed in silence, stepping carefully even thought they passed through the memory like ghosts. The younger Dumbledore made his way to the fragile-looking staircase while Hagrid peered into the rooms on the main floor of the house.

Dumbledore's long robes flowed around him and he treaded softly and cautiously up the stairs and down the upper hallway to the room at the very end of the hall, where the roof was demolished, revealing the starry sky above. A soft rustling in the silence gave away the presence of life.

He made his way over to the light blue crib in what had once been a nursrey. A little boy lay in the bed curled up into a tight ball beneath a fuzzy shite blanket. A small scar was just visible under the small tuft of black hair that fell over his forehead. A small, lightning bolt-shaped scar.

Assured that the young boy was asleep, Dumbledore turned to the right of the crib where a woman lay, her shining red hair splayed around her head like a halo.

Her emerald eyes were glassed over and staring blankly at the night sky, her mouth parted sligtly. Snape stared at her for a moment, taking in the sight of the woman he once loved and her broken form on the cold floor. He tore his eyes away, full of bitterness, regret and anger. Dumbledore's eyes clouded one again with tears as he turned away from the still form of Lily Potter, neé Evans.

The younger Dumbledore had turned back to the little boy, gently lifting the baby into his arms, careful to keep from waking him. He made his way down the stairs once again, avoiding the body of James and broken pieces of wood. The older Dumbledore and Snape followed in silence, Snape's eyes still glimmering with tears, but his face impassive.

"Hagrid?" the younger Dumbledore called softly into the still and quiet house.

"I'm 'ere Professor Dumbledore." Hagrid answered, stepping out of the kitchen and making his way down the ruined hallway. "Did you find 'im?" His eyes were puffy and red from silent tears.

Dumbledore nodded, holding out the litle bundle of blankets. Hagrid took him gently his eyes crinkling with a watery smile. " 'e looks jus' like James, ye' know?" he said, gazing down at the little boy fondly. Dumbledore nodded again, also looking down at Harry's pale face.

"Did ye' find Lily?" Hagrid asked, eyes flicking up over Dumbledore's shoulder to the ruined staircase.

"Yes." Dumbledore whispered, his eyes filled with pain. "Upstairs in the nursery. She seems to have died trying to protect Harry."

"The bes' way fer 'er ter have gone." Hagrid said thickly, suppressing a sob as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Indeed."

The two men stood for a moment, lost in grief before Dumbledore handed Harry over to Hagrid, the larger man taking the one-year old in his huge hands.

"Go Hagrid." he said softly. "Take Harry to Little Whinging. Remember he must arrive at his Aunt and Uncle's house in a non-traceable way. We don't want any spies at the Ministry alerted. I... I will take care of a bit of business. I will meet you at the Dursley's residence in approximately two hours. I suspect Minerva will be there as well." Dumbledore gave a sad sort of smile at the thought. "She will want the truth."

"Yes sir, 'eadmaster. See ye' in two hours." Hagrid turned away, toward the door and, though he wasn't aware of it at the time, the approaching figure of Sirius Black on an enchanted motorbike.

"Thank you Hagrid. Have a safe journey." Hagrid nodded and waved as Dumbledore turned back into the depths of the ruined house.

Snape shot a questioning glance at the older Dumbledore as they followed his younger counterpart through the hallways. They took a few quick turns before the younger Dumbledore stopped in front of a seemingly blank wall. He placed a hand on the wood, mumbling something under his breath.

The wall in front of him disappeared and revealed an empty archway through which a set of stairs led down into the ground. The walls of the passage were stone and magical lights were set in place, casting a warm and friendly glow over the rough walls.

It only took a few seconds for the group of people to reach the bottom of the stairs. In front of them was a door made of dark brown wood with a simple bronze doorknob bearing no keyhole. The memory Dumbledore pushed the door open on silent hinges and stepped into the small room hidden beneath the Potters' house.

The room was surprisingly homey for one you would find at the bottom of a secret stone stairway. The walls were painted a soft lilac color and there were pink and blue chrysanthemums painted in nearly life-like designs around the walls.

The only pieces of furniture in the room were a small white rocking chair, a pale green dresser and a crib that sat beneath a window that mimicked the night sky above. Slow, soft breathing could be heard coming from the crib and the younger Dumbledore approached it almost reverently.

Snape let out a gasp as a young girl who already had shoulder-length red hair came into view, her sleeping form nestled beneath a cornflower-blue blanket edged with white lace.

The girl stirred softly and yawned as the memory Dumbledore lifted her into his arms, stretching her tiny fists into the air before snuggling into the warmth of his chest. His eyes were sparkling more than usual with tears he was holding back as he looked down at the little girl's innocent face.

He carried her back up the stairs, Snape and the older Dumbledore following in silence, through the ruined house and to the front walk. The bundle in his arms shivered a bit but she did not wake. He quietly whispered "Accio Locket!" and a small silver locket flew out of the window opposite of the place where the ruined nursery was. He caught it in his outstretched hand and pocketed it quickly before disappearing into nothingness with a loud CRACK!

The scene dissolved into swirling colors before reforming into another memory. Snape and the older Dumbledore found themselves at the end of a dark road lined with houses. In front of them stood a tall, dark building surrounded by a white picket fence. There was a solitary light on in a lower room, shaded slightly by a curtain drawn across the window.

The memory Dumbledore walked swiftly down the path leading up to the front door. The orphanage looked well-kempt, the little flower garden in front of the porch well-tended and neat. He set the small bundle down on the front step, then placed a crisp, cream-colored envelope on top of it before gazing at the young girl fondly one last time, his eyes sparkling, before ringing the doorbell and waving his wand once so he blended into the night.

"What is it?" a slightly irritable female voice asked as a ruffled-looking lady threw open the front door. She stared around into the night, her gaze passing right over the invisible Dumbledore. She looked down and her gaze softened as she saw the little girl wrapped in the blanket. She lifted the bundle of blanket and girl into her arms, holding her close as a gust of chilly wind blew through the quiet night, then turned and entered the quiet building, running her eyes one last time over the supposedly empty landscape as she closed the door gently.

Snape and Dumbledore rose silently out of the Pensive, out of the swirling rush of memories, and landed gently on the floor of Dumbledore's office.

A/N: So here's the second chapter of the day! :D Hope you liked it! Please review and all that jazz! ;)

And you learn why Leah is separated from Harry next chapter! Any guesses on why? Imaginary (aka virtual) cookies for all who get even close to a right answer! :D