Chapter One
October 31st, 1981
Charles Potter was sitting alone in his favorite wingback chair in front of the roaring fire at Potter Manor. He held a golden photo frame in his hand. Looking up at him was a beautiful woman. She had black hair just beginning to show gray and sharp steel gray eyes. She gave a sad smile. "Oh Dorea, how I wish you were still here." Charles muttered. Charles reminisced on the last months he had with her before she fell to dragonpox. He slowly swirled his glass of firewhiskey and raised the glass to his lips. There was a small pop and a gray creature with tennis ball sized eyes and floppy ears appeared before him. "Master Charles!" she shrieked. Charles lowered the glass and stared at the house elf. "What seems to be the issue, Willow?" I's be checking on Master James and Mistress Lily like yous be asking sir and when I's be arriving, Master James and Mistress Lily are dead! Little Master Harry be's gone too! Willow couldn't find him!" Willow wailed. "What?!" Charles shouted as he jumped up. With a whip like crack, Charles disapparated. Charles reappeared in Godric's Hollow and quickly made his way down the road. He saw the house surrounded by aurors. The roof was caved in and the front door blasted off the hinges. Charles grabbed the nearest Auror "Where is my grandson?" he demanded. "I'm sorry, Lord Potter but I don't know." the auror replied and walked off. Charles walked up to the iron gate and pulled his wand out. He began to wave his wand and mutter under his breath, trying to distinguish the different magical signatures. He recognized James', Lily's and Sirius' magical signature and even Rubeus Hagrid's. Then he felt it. One signature that was more potent than the others. "Albus bloody Dumbledore" Charles sneered.
Charles was not a fan of Dumbledore. He did not agree with the way Dumbledore was running the light side of the war. Fighting with stunners while the Death Eaters responded with killing curses. Charles had even warned and argued with James and Lily about joining the Order of the Phoenix. Charles disapparated. When Charles reappeared he was staring at the iron gates of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Charles pulled out his wand and fired his patronus, a majestic eagle, to Minerva Mcgonagall to let him in. Minerva appeared at the gate and seemed quite shocked to see him. "Charles, what are you doing here?" she asked in her scottish accent. Charles explained that James and Lily were dead and that Harry had disappeared. "I need to speak with Albus, Minnie." Charles said. Minerva nodded with tears in her eyes. "I'll lead you to his office." They walked in silence. As they reached the guardian for the headmaster's office, Minerva faced Charles. "I am sorry Charles. Lily and James were wonderful people and extremely gifted." Minerva said quietly. She turned towards the griffin. "Acid Pops" she said with an eye roll. She joined Charles on the rotating staircase.
Charles didn't knock and just walked into the office. " Ah Charles. How can I help you?" Dumbledore said, sounding tired. "It's Lord Potter and where is my grandson?" Charles responded coldly. "Harry is in the hospital wing being checked over by Poppy. After she is finished, I will be taking Harry to his Aunt's house in Surrey." Dumbledore said serenely. Charles' eyes widened and then narrowed. The temperature in the room began to drop quickly while Charles' magic roared. "You were going to take him to Lily's magic hating bitch of a sister? He is my grandson, my heir and you want to send him to muggles? Are you going senile you old bastard?" "Even if you weren't going to give him to me, Harry would go to Sirius or Alice Longbottom, his godparents!" Charles roared. Dumbledore's blue eyes looked directly into Charles' brown eyes. "Harry will be famous. Every child will know his name. It will be better for Harry to be raised away from all of that." "Don't you agree Charles?" Dumbledore asked smoothly as he was rotating his wand under his desk. Charles felt the magic wash over him as he tightened his occlumency shields. "Don't try to confund me Albus!" Charles roared like a dragon. "You will give me Harry or I will drag you in front of the Wizengamot. I don't care if you are Chief Warlock!" Charles threatened. "They may not stick, but I will press charges for kidnapping and line theft. You may get off but your public image will be ruined. I can see it now Chief Warlock kidnaps the hero of the wizarding world. Refuses to give him to mourning grandfather. Places him with abusive muggles. The public will crucify you." Charles said, grinning like a shark. Albus' eyes widened. After arguing for twenty more minutes "I will inform Poppy you are coming down." Albus spoke quietly. Charles turned on his heel and left the office. Charles arrived in the Hospital Wing and immediately sought out Poppy. As Charles walked towards Madam Pomfrey's office, he noticed the cot in the corner. Charles walked over and saw the little boy. He had jet black hair and emerald green eyes. He was playing with a stuffed dragon. As Charles approached, the boy looked up at him and gave a smile. "Papa!" the little boy chirped. Charles noticed the scar on his head. It was inflamed and looked like a bolt of lightning. "I tried to heal that scar," a voice said behind Charles. Charles turned and Poppy was standing there. "Is that where the curse hit him?" Charles asked. "Most likely as the scar is embedded with Dark Magic." she responded. "Can I take him home?" "Of course you may use my floo" Poppy said. Charles scooped Harry out of the cot. Harry squealed with delight. Charles stepped into the emerald flames, hugged Harry a little tighter and shouted "Potter Manor".
As Charles stepped out of the floo, he said "Welcome Home Harry" and gave Harry a kiss on the forehead. "Willow" Charles called out. Willow appeared. "Please set up a room for Harry on the first floor. The room to the left of the master suite." Charles ordered. Willow nodded her head and popped out. Charles transfigured Harry's clothes into pajamas and walked up the stairs. By the time he got to Harry's new room, Willow had a cot ready for him with some stuffed animals inside. As Charles laid Harry down, he whispered " I wasn't always there for your father, I will not make the same mistakes for you Harry." Charles dimmed the lights and walked out. As Charles laid down that night he thought about the last time he saw James, Lily and Harry.
Flashback
It was the day of Dorea's funeral. She had lost her six month battle with DragonPox. James, Lily and Harry were with Charles in the front row. Sirius, Remus and the Pettigrew boy directly behind them. Members of the Wizengmot were offering empty condolences. Finally after two hours everyone had finally left beside James, Lily and Harry. James was mentioning a mission he had to go on for the order. Charles had enough. "James, you need to stop participating in the order." Charles said. It was an argument they have had since James graduated. "You have a family now. They should be your first priority. Not Dumbledore." They are my priority. I'm fighting this war so we can all have a better life." James argued back. "Albus is going to get you killed. Can't you see that? You are fighting with stunners. You hit one his partner revives him. They respond with a killing curse. Now your partner is dead and it is an uneven match." Charles said softly. I am an adult father. I will do what I have to do." James responded. With that James and Lily turned and walked away with Harry. Harry waved to Charles and they disappeared.
Charles sighed and laid down. Tomorrow will be a long day. He would have to go to the Ministry to make sure all of the guardianship papers were filed and he had to find Sirius. The next morning while Willow was feeding Harry some porridge, an owl appeared with the Daily Prophet. Charles nearly choked on his tea as he read the headline. Sirius Black arrested for the deaths of twelve muggles and the death of Peter Pettigrew. Black also implicated in the deaths of James and Lily Potter. "What the hell?" Charles said, shocked.
A/N- This is going to be my first multi chapter story. I hope everyone enjoys it. This story will cover Harry's first year at Hogwarts. Please leave a review! I will try to get chapters posted regularly. Thank you! I do not own any Harry Potter characters or locations. Everything belongs to J.K.