Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Harry Potter universe. It is the property of Joanne Rowling. The only things that belong to me, are the original characters and stories that I have written.

When the sun rose over the Scottish highlands, a soft pop was heard near the edge of the Hogwarts grounds. Where none had been, Albus Dumbledore in all his colourful clothing was suddenly standing. Finally, he allowed his shoulders to slump. For a man of his age, it was not easy being on high alert for so many hours. He felt that a long walk, to relax his weary soul after the night he had experienced, would do him good.

As he meandered his way along the lake towards the castle that had been his home for the last fifty or so years. He let his thoughts drift to all those who had suffered because of the Death Eater attacks – that had occurred during the night.

Albus truly hated taking lives, ever since his sister had died because of his recklessness – it had been anathema to his very being. However, this night, he had done it several times, righteously so. When he got the floo call that St Mungos was under attack. Fawkes had flashed him there in a heartbeat, and he saw depravity he hadn't seen since he had defeated Gellert, and the last war ended.

Attacking a hospital was horrendous in of itself. Torturing children in the waiting room of said hospital, he had no words to describe the rage he felt, it was abominable.

So Albus had, for the first time in many a year, raised his wand in anger. He had become their judge, jury, and executioner. Then he unleashed his might upon the unsuspecting Death Eaters during their revelry, and descended upon them like a god descending from heaven to smite a foolish mortal. They truly stood no chance, not against him.

When he had calmed himself once again, most of the death eaters had either perished or fled. The ones still remaining were severely wounded.

Then he had lent his wand to healing and helping those wounded during the attack. But he hurriedly made his excuses and left for the next place that was under attack. Not only because he wanted to lend aid to his community and friends. But because the staring and whispering had started once again.

Oh, how he truly hated that part. Being famous for his eccentric clothes and behaviour was fabulous in his opinion. Being famous for his teaching, even better. However, being famous for fighting and taking lives, that was something he truly abhorred. That was not the legacy he wished to leave behind.

I curse you, Tom, for forcing my hand.

The fighting had continued for the rest of the night, with Albus coming to aid at several places. He had left the hospital for Diagon Alley, where it had taken hours to force the death eaters away, then evacuate and help the injured. After that, he had visited various homes of order members to see to their families safeties. Their family members were, after all, out fighting the Death Eaters, it was the least he could do for them. Thank Merlin for Hagrid and Minerva for their help in checking on the rest of his list.

Something still had him incredibly worried, though. This had been the worst night of attacks during this entire civil war. But Tom, Tom was nowhere to be seen.

It could only mean one thing. He had some greater objective, something Albus could not see. All of this destruction and death, pointless. It was all a distraction, but for what?

Where were you tonight, Tom, and what have you done?

That thought truly scared him. Because Tom was many things. Evil, murderous, brilliant. But wasteful was not one of them, and tonight had been costly for Tom's followers. Albus himself had probably ended a few families during the fighting.

That thought made his hearth ache.

What would be worth squandering so many lives for.

His musings ended there, as he had finally reached the large, ornate doors of Hogwarts.

Home sweet home.

He breathed a sigh of relief that, finally, he was home. Albus could have a bath and then sink into his soft bed. He even allowed himself his first smile in many hours at the thought. A small one, but still a smile.

A smile that was almost instantly wiped off his face when he opened the doors and came face to face with Minerva McGonagall's tear streaked face. His heart clenched at the sight, and he understood immediately.

As if this accursed night could not get any worse.

"Who is it this night, dear Minerva?"

Her sniffles could not be stopped, and her tears would not abate. The words were stilted and almost incomprehensible, barely above a whisper. But he heard them all the same.

"James and Lily"

And now, he knew. He knew what Tom's true objective had been this night. What the diversions had all been for. He had to ask, even though he dreaded the answer.

"Young Harry?"

"Perfectly well, thank Merlin. Hagrid brought him here earlier, came flying in on Sirius's bike, of all things." She said with a mirthless chuckle. "He's with Poppy now."

Albus took a shuddering breath, at least there were some good news. But also, so many new questions. Where was Tom, and why was young Harry still alive. He was completely certain that Tom had been the one who had come for the Potters.

He would want to do it himself.

"The Longbottoms?" If the Potters had been attacked, then most likely the Longbottoms had been as well.

"They are well, I spoke with Augusta earlier. Frank was hurt when he was helping during the attack on Diagon Alley. But nothing that a few potions and a couple of days rest won't heal."

What is going on?

Albus could not get a good grasp of the situation. It had been a very long time since he'd been this befuddled.

"Would you like to see Harry?" Minerva asked with shaky voice.

"Yes, I think I would like that very much."

And maybe I can start to unravel this mystery in front of me.

Albus had barely got one foot in the door to the Hospital Wing before he was beset upon by a harried Poppy Pomfrey.

"Oh Albus, thank Merlin you're here. I have no idea what we're going to do with young mister Potter."

Albus looked upon the woman, who looked like she hadn't slept a wink the entire night.

She probably hadn't.

"Well, we'll just have to do our best to accommodate him until we've got a good handle on the situation." Albus answered. Then turning his head towards his deputy. He asked. "Minerva, could I prevail upon you to fetch a pot of tea, I think we'll be needing it."

Minerva nodded her ascent and swiftly turned on her heel to leave the infirmary. She muttered out a quiet. "I'll be right back."

While they had been speaking, Poppy led him over to one of the beds, in the corner closest to her office. Upon the bed lay a sleeping Harry Potter, looking completely unhurt except for a small scar upon his forehead.

"Is he well?"

"Perfectly healthy according to every spell I could think of casting." Came Poppy's succinct answer.

I need to be sure

"Not that I doubt your abilities, Poppy, but would you mind if I were to do a little checking of my own?"

Poppy glanced between his face and the bed where young Harry lay.

"Anything to help the poor dear Albus."

Nodding in thanks, Albus leaned down and peered closely at young Harry's forehead. Where the only visible sign of injury was. A thin scar, recently healed, from the look of things.

What a curious shape, almost like a lightning bolt.

Albus turned his face to Poppy and asked. "The scar?"

"Just a normal cut. Hagrid thought he might have been hit by a piece of debris, he said the house was half collapsed. I cleaned and healed it up, it was but a moment's work. I'll dab some dittany on it later to remove the scarring."

Albus flicked his wand into his hand and cast a few simple detection charms.

Nothing but a common sleeping charm

"Sleeping charm Poppy?"

"Hagrid said the poor tyke wouldn't let go of Sirius and was screaming himself hoarse. Sirius put him to sleep, so he could hand him to Hagrid."

Nodding to himself, he cast a few of the more esoteric ones he knew.

Still nothing

Mentally rolling up his sleeves, Albus prepared a list of every single detection spell he could think of and started casting.

This is going to take some time

By the time he was finished, Minerva had returned. She and Poppy were sitting across from him, chatting quietly and drinking their tea. When they noticed that he had finished, Poppy turned to him and asked. "Anything?"

"Nothing that I could find." Albus replied thoughtfully.

I still do not understand.

Poppy sighed in relief before she opened her mouth. "Well, there can't be much wrong with him if you can't find anything"

Albus raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Despite what some might say, I am not omnipotent. There are quite a few subjects of which I have absolutely no knowledge of at all. For example, the muggle pastime of taxidermy, where they take a dead ani…"

Minerva cleared her throat disapprovingly and spoke, "But where most magical subjects are concerned, you know more than almost anyone else." She stared him in the eyes, almost daring him to contradict her.

He merely hummed in acquiescence, then drew his wand and put it to his throat. "Hagrid, would you be so kind as to join us in the infirmary." A flick of his wrist and a silver phoenix appeared out of the end of his wand. It circled overhead, then flew straight through the wall and in the direction of Hagrid's hut.

"Would you like a cup of tea while we wait, Albus?"

"Thank you, Minerva, that would be lovely."

"Then Sirius put him to sleep an' gave him to me, told me to take his bike an' go to Hogwarts."

The situation made even less after Hagrid had described how he had come into possession of young Harry. Voldemort had known the secret, that fact was indisputable. Which meant that Sirius would have been the one to tell him. If Sirius had joined the other side, and given Voldemort the information, why would he then protect Harry. Had he been tricked, polyjuice perhaps. Or tortured, maybe even the Imperius curse. Was that why he had arrived after the attack? There were too many unanswered questions.

Hagrid was chatting away as they walked their way down the cobbled street of Godric's Hollow towards the house where the Potters had hidden away. He was going to have to wait for more information until he could speak to Sirius himself.

"Proffeso' we're here."

Snapping out of his thoughts at Hagrid's words. He looked upon the wrought iron gate that led into the small front yard of the Potter Cottage.

Hagrid had described the house as half collapsed, and he wasn't far off the mark. The house was missing half the roof, the windows were blown out, and there were small holes here and there in the walls. The front yard was littered with debris and the small garden Lily had so lovingly cared for was completely ruined. Another sign that Tom did nothing but bring death and destruction into this world.

Thank Merlin, the muggle repelling wards have held.

Hagrid had entered the yard and was walking toward the entrance when Albus stopped him with a hand on his elbow.

"Let me cast a preservation charm upon the house before we enter. We don't want it collapsing around us while we're going about our business."

Hagrid mumbled a short, "Thank you." Then took a step to the side to allow Albus access.

Albus concentrated, brought out the elder wand, focused his magic, and with a swish of the wand, forced his will upon the world.

The house rattled a little bit, and then settled back into complete stillness.

"That should do it."

A quick Homenum Revelio later and Albus had his wand back up in his sleeve. "We're all alone." Moments later, Albus stepped into the house.

It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the unlit room. Then he saw the overturned living room and the destroyed furniture. To his right, James lay, half hidden under a table, his glasses askew and his messy hair matted against his forehead. His glassy eyes indicated that the Killing Curse had been what killed him. At least it was painless, however small that mercy was.

"Hagrid, could you tend to James and Lily, while I start investigating."

Hagrid sniffled out a quiet "Yes, professor." before lumbering over towards where James lay.

Several hours later, Albus was back in the hallowed halls of Hogwarts. The investigation had borne fruit, thus, he now had a very good idea what had happened in the house the night before. Tom's killing curse had rebounded and struck Tom himself. It was almost poetic. Lily really was the most brilliant young witch he had met. She had invoked Olde magic, a life for a life. So simple in principle, but Albus knew, almost impossible in execution.

He had discussed the findings with Hagrid, the man had been broken after seeing the bodies of his dear friends. Albus had thought that knowing what Lily had done would, if not cheer him up, at least give him some sense of closure. Then they had held a small ceremony and buried the bodies in the graveyard down the street. The time for a proper funeral could be found later. There was still so much to do.

After the impromptu funeral they had taken a portkey back to Hogsmeade where they had split, Hagrid to the Three-Broomsticks for as he called it 'A small pick me up' and Albus to Hogwarts.

As he entered his quarters for a well deserved rest, he pondered what the future would hold. He was completely sure that Tom had not died, but merely been disembodied in some way. How he had achieved that feat, Albus couldn't even begin to fathom. The dark arts had never been his forte. He had seen the influence they had on Gellert in their youth, and the horrors they had caused in the last war. After that, he couldn't stomach to study them even a little.

His musings were interrupted by a tapping on his window. Looking up, he saw a regal owl standing on the other side of the glass. A quick whip of his wand had the window open, and the owl had landed on his desk moments later. It stretched out it's leg for him to take the letter that was tied there.

What is it the ministry want from me now?

"… therefore, we immediately request your presence to give testimony as to your involvement in the incidents that occurred the night between the 31st of October and the 1st of November."

Albus sighed deeply, he had been so close to getting to bed.

There's no rest for the wicked.

It was already the fifth of November, and Albus was exhausted. He had not had time to do anything but eat, sleep, and work. He had spent every day after breaking his fast until after sundown at the ministry. Either giving testimony at one of the many trials, or lending his expertise to one of the many open investigations in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

He had not been able to check in on Harry more than once since that faithful night. The time he had, Harry was asleep. Though Poppy and Minerva had taken excellent care of him, he would have to find a new, permanent, home for him. His dear friends, were already almost as exhausted as he was. Harry, when awake, had constantly been alternating between asking for demonstrations of all things magic, or Sirius Black.

How do you explain to a one-year-old that the person they are asking for has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of thirteen people. Although Albus himself had not had the time to attend the trial, Barty assured him that Sirius had been found guilty. Not only had he been found guilty, apparently his mind had snapped. Maybe the famous black madness had come late in Harry's godfather. Whatever the reason, Sirius was not an option for guardianship.

So then, the elephant in the room. Where to place young Harry.

He had very few blood relations left, and out of the few he had, not a single one of them would result in a happy life for the young boy. Petunia was the best chance the boy had of surviving the first night outside Hogwarts mighty wards. Albus could use the underlying protection left in Harry by Lily's invocation of the Olde magic, and bind it into a protective ward, anchored in Lily's bloodline. Which then could be bound to the home where Petunia and Harry would live.

The Longbottom's were the only other good option. They were only a bit older than James and Lily, they had a son the same age as Harry. Frank and Alice were fellow order members, and they had offered to take him in. Then… they had been attacked. Just as everyone thought they were safe. A fate worse than death, if you asked him, to be tortured into insanity. The best healers St. Mungos had, said there were little hope of either of them ever recovering.

Now Neville was with his grandmother, and she had steadfastly refused anyone entrance into their home. She might have been amenable to take in young Harry if not for the mythos and danger that had already sprung up around him. Even before Albus had given testimony as to what had happened in the Potter Cottage, the rumours had started. Rumours that Tom had died, that Harry Potter was responsible. He had berated Hagrid for his loose lips, but the train had already left the station.

So, Albus had given clear and concise testimony this morning, to the fact that Voldemort's body had been destroyed, but he could not be sure he was dead. Lily Potter was responsible for the fact, not Harry Potter. But it was too late. Already the newspapers were in full print, he had seen no less than six newspapers that had run with the 'Boy-Who-Lived' defeats 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' headline, or some variation of it. Where that title had originated, he had no idea, and he couldn't care less.

After living through the last eleven years of attacks, and constant fear, was it any wonder that wizarding Britain was celebrating. Impromptu celebrations had broken out all across Britain, and the obliviators were out in full force. Everyone, young or old, were celebrating.

Or, more correct, everyone but Tom's followers were celebrating. While many of them had ended up in prison. Several of them had claimed they were under the Imperius Curse, or some other ridiculous excuse. Combine that with their capital, some of them belonged to the richest and most influential families in wizarding Britain. It gave them an uncanny ability to grease the wheels of justice, and escape punishment.

There were also a lot of unknown sympathizers out there. None of them would pass up the opportunity for revenge if it fell in their lap. Harry would need to disappear from their view if he was going to be safe until going to Hogwarts.

It seemed all his choices had been taken away from him.

For Harry's safety, Petunia is the only choice.

It had taken hours of gruelling work to prepare the blood wards at Petunia's home in Surrey. He had not only anchored the protections, he had also cast every single protective charm he could think of that wouldn't have an impact on their daily lives, or break the statue of secrecy.

Now, darkness had fallen, and he was standing at the end of Privet Drive, hidden under an invisibility spell. Almost an hour had passed since he sent a message to Hagrid, to bring young Harry there. He'd offered a Portkey, but Hagrid was very enthusiastic about Sirius's motorcycle. It was understandable, it could fly, after all. Hopefully it wouldn't be many more minutes before their arrival.

It's best I prepare for their arrival.

Rooting around in one of his many pockets until he managed to fish out one of his fabulous inventions.

Ah, my dear Put-Outer, there you are.

It looked like a large muggle lighter, made of silver. Raising the lighter up in the air, he clicked the button several times, and with every click, out went a streetlight.

That's better.

A few moments after the streetlights had turned off, a cat stealthily crept over to the end of the street, where Albus stood.

Turning his head to the cat, Albus spoke. "Good evening to you, Minerva."

In an instant, the cat stretched out and transformed into a tall, thin, greying woman wearing a green robe, his deputy headmistress, Minerva McGonagall.

"Albus" she nodded her head at him. "Are you sure this is the correct place?"

"Without a doubt." He answered simply.

"You can't let him stay here" Minerva snapped at him. "I've been watching them all day, they are just so… so, muggle."

Albus held up a hand to halt her before she could work herself into a frenzy. "It's the only way. Because of Lily's sacrifice, the wards I was able to put up here are incredibly strong. Voldemort himself, or any of his followers, could stand outside the windows, looking in, and not understand that they are looking straight at Harry."

"But he won't know his history, where he came from. These people could never prepare him for the life he's going to live after he comes to Hogwarts." Minerva was talking up a storm. "These people, they-"

"Are the only family he has left." Albus interrupted.

Minerva's face shone with unshed tears as she looked at him. "Will we be able to visit at least?" She asked with a shaky voice.

Albus thought for a moment before cautiously answering. "Probably best not to visit for the first few years. Someone might try to use you or me to locate him, after all, he won't be inside the house his entire stay here."

Minerva nodded her assent quietly.

They silently stood next to each other, waiting for Hagrid to arrive. It didn't take many minutes until they heard a low rumbling sound up in the sky.

"That'll be him" Albus said.

"I can't believe you allow him to ride around on that death trap." Minerva chuckled.

Albus smiling eyes looked at her over his half moon glasses. "I believe it to be perfectly safe, Minerva."

With a thud, the motorcycle carrying Hagrid and Harry landed on the other end of Privet Drive, and a few moments later it rolled to a stop in front of the two of them.

"Good evnin', professors" Hagrid greeted.

"And a good evening to you Hagrid" Albus answered. "Did the trip go well?"

Hagrid cleared his throat, and awkwardly twisted his hands. "Harry really didn't want to leave Hogwarts, Poppy had to put him to sleep."

Albus's eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"Yeh', poor tyke was screaming and crying for Sirius, and wouldn't let go of the bed" Hagrid gently lifted little Harry from the sidecar. The boy was swaddled in a bundle of blankets of varying colors.

Minerva stepped forward and gently stroked Harry's head, running her fingers through his small tuft of hair. "Oh, Harry."

Albus cleared his throat. "Well, if you would follow me."

The short walk to the front door, was done in silence. Stopping in front of the door, Albus reached his arms to take Harry from Hagrid. "If you would give him to me, Hagrid."

"Alrigh' professor." Hagrid choked out.

Taking Harry from Hagrid, he then walked the last stop to the doorstep, bent down, and laid Harry down.

Minerva gasped. "You're leaving him on the doorstep, Albus? Without explaining anything?"

"I wrote them a letter." Albus answered her.

"You can't explain things like these in a letter, Albus!" Minerva shot back angrily.

"It is the best chance he will have with Petunia, she doesn't particularly like either me or the magical world, and finding out it has taken her sister as well… It might prejudice her towards Harry – if we were to do it in person." Albus calmly replied, he then continued. "I'll put a warming charm and an alert ward on him. The protections on the property will do the rest, he will be perfectly well here until morning, and Poppy's spell will keep him asleep until Petunia and her husband wake up."

Minerva bent down to stroke Harry's head one last time, then turned on her heels and left with a parting. "If you say so Albus." With a twist and a small pop, she was gone.

Hagrid awkwardly walked over to the bike and muttered out. "I'll be going too then, professor."

"I'll see you tomorrow Hagrid" A moment later Hagrid was up in the sky on the bike.

Albus turned and took one last look at Harry Potter gently snoring away, swaddled in a blanket, on the doorstep of Privet Drive no. 4.

"Good luck, Harry Potter."

I'm not going to make it a habit of posting every day, I was thinking, every Monday & Thursday. That is the pace I feel comfortable writing at. But I got some very nice reviews, so as a thank you from me, here is another chapter.

If you liked it, review & favourite.

Thank you for reading!

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