Lily Potter tugged firmly on her son's hand, as she hurried him along in her frantic urgency.

"Come on, Harry, come on …"

"Mum? What's happening?" Harry whispered as he scurried along in Lily's slipstream. He wasn't sure why he had whispered, it just seemed the thing to do, as though to disturb the silence down here would be an insult to nature.

"Don't talk now, just try to keep up. And stay behind me, no matter what."

It wasn't a request … it was an order. That was new. Lily never ordered Harry to do anything, not even to clean his room or to finish the learning assignments she had set him. Their relationship was one built on trust and respect, and Harry knew that if his mother asked him to do something then it was because it was worth doing. So he did it without question, whatever it might be.

But this was different. His mother was telling him to follow her instructions, to not even consider disobeying, but there was more to it than that. Lily sounded taut and tense, her voice laced with a sharp emotion that Harry hadn't heard there before, but recognised all the same.

For it was the sound of fear.

That was alien in and of itself. Lily Potter was never afraid, and as this inspired deep courage within Harry, neither was he. After all, down here in the Dark City, there was nothing to be afraid of. Apart from the perpetual gloom, and even Harry knew that as a fear, that was totally a irrational one. There was nothing inherently scary about the dark itself, but more perhaps of the things that it might be hiding. Even so, Harry still felt a tingle of terror every time the lights went fully out.

And they were dimming now, the globes of the Light Deck reducing to low power for the hours of the night. Harry could barely see where they were going, so he just conceded to the care of his mother as she led them on. They took a left at the end of the row of steelworker's cottages, down past the vast botanical gardens of West Bute, where the farmers grew carrots and black turnips under an array of hot lamps, and from there they hurried up and over the narrow suspension bridge spanning Pincott's Ravine, to Marquis Park, where all the citizens exercised for two hours a day. Harry had seen them at it many times, lined up in long rows, jogging on the spot and squatting up and down and things like that. All in identical black outfits. Harry had never known why, but he always found it quite a sinister sight.

A much more welcome sight greeted Harry and Lily as they completed their orbit of the park, for the lights of their palatial home came popping into view. Sitting in a lofty position above the city, the sweeping estate was private and restricted, and Harry had always felt an air of safety about the place. This was something that his mother clearly sensed, too, as she bundled Harry through the gate and quickly punched a code into the security panel, before resting her head against the iron bars and breathing in deep relief.

Then came the sound of heavy footsteps on the gravel path leading to the house. Harry turned to see his father racing towards them at some speed. He collided first with Lily, then with Harry, squeezing them as tight as if he thought he'd never see them again.

"Thank Merlin," James breathed as he released Harry and hugged his wife again. "When I heard about the Hounds, I feared the worst."

"Hounds?" Harry asked, anxiously.

"The Hounds of Annwn," James replied without ceremony. "Every year, Arawn sends them out into the world to find a special sacrifice, one that will perpetually renew his power."

James said all this as blithely as if he were discussing the weather, as if whatever he was babbling about wasn't complete and utter nonsense. Harry didn't know what to make of it, so just watched as his father moved to peer anxiously through the bars of the security fence.

"That's why the city is here, Harry," Lily took over. "To manage it. We provide the sacrifice … usually a criminal of the worst kind … and we take their power to give to Arawn. Then we send the criminal back to prison … if we didn't, Arawn would also take their lives."

Harry blinked hard as he tried to take that in. His mind was struggling to keep pace, or to even believe any of this in the first place.

"We have been trying to find a way to artificially generate that power," James went on. "That's the nature of the inverted pyramid … yes, son, we know you were there. How much did you hear of our conversation with our old friend, Amelie Flamel?"

"Not much," Harry mumbled, guiltily. "Just something about Death Eaters, and a Stone, and something that sounded like it might be the end of the world. And then some weird stuff about me. There's something about my past, isn't there? Something you've been keeping from me?"

Lily knelt down in front of Harry and took his hands in her own. "Harry … listen to me, and listen very carefully. I didn't want to have to tell you this, but it may not be safe for you down here with us for much longer. The odd things that you've been experiencing lately … they don't happen to most children. You wouldn't know that, having never been around others of your age, but what you do isn't ordinary. You are special, Harry, and I'm not just saying that as a doting mother.

"These strange things that have been happening to you … we've been expecting them … actually, we've been trying to prevent them. But they've still happened … and if they keep happening we're terrified that you'll be taken away, taken somewhere that we can't follow … and I don't know what will happen to you then. I don't even want to think about it!"

Lily suddenly snatched her arms around Harry, squeezing the breath out of him. Harry didn't even have to guess about what his mother meant about bizarre things happening to him recently. When the scientists had shaved his head to perform tests on his hair, his messy locks had grown back overnight; then, when they tried to force a restraining jacket on him to take a blood sample, it shrank so much that it might have fitted a glove-puppet when it was done, but it certainly wasn't going to fit Harry, despite how skinny he was. Harry was eager to explain that he couldn't explain how these things had happened. But nobody seemed to want to listen to him.

Now, if his mother was to be believed, this all meant something dangerous. Harry shuddered as this new understanding settled on him. But he had a more pressing concern to address first.

"How do you know about all that?" Harry demanded, looking from his mother to his father and back again. "Doctor Pfieffer told me explicitly that I wasn't to say a word about any of it. Not even to you."

"And that right there is the problem," James replied. "The fact that we weren't told about what they were doing only increases our suspicions."

"Suspicions about what?" Harry pressed.

"That the scientists and doctors have been testing you … for latent magic," Lily whispered, dramatically. "We were assured that you'd be left alone, so long as we helped them to keep Arawn satisfied, but it seems that they've gone back on those promises behind our backs."

"Latent what?" Harry breathed in shock. "Did you just say magic?"

"I did."

"Don't be silly, Mum, there's no such thing as magic," Harry scoffed derisorily. "And if there was it would be classed as the occult and illegal down here. You both know that … so what are you talking about?"

"Oh, magic is very real," James argued. "But more than that, it is very real for you, Harry."

"Me? Why?"

"Because, my son … you're a wizard."

Harry reeled from the shock. "I'm a … what? Can you say that again? Only it sounded like you said that I'm a wizard."

"That is what your father said, Harry," Lily smiled, gently. "You're a wizard … just like your father and mother before you."

Harry opened and closed his mouth in rapid succession, as though trying to swallow in one awkward lump the nonsense words that his brain refused to accept.

"How can I be … how can you be … what is all this?" Harry stuttered. "Wizards, really? Is this some sort of late birthday prank? He's ten years old now so let's all tease Harry, is that it? Well it isn't very funny, if that is what you're doing."

"This is no joke, my boy … we're a family of wizards," James replied with such heartfelt honestly that Harry's resistance to this insane new truth wavered a little. He just blinked at his father's unflinching expression and tried to unearth the deception he was sure must be hidden there.

But Harry could find none … which could only mean that he was listening to the truth!

"Well, technically, I'm a witch," Lily added, thoughtfully. "But it's the same thing. We can do magic … cast spells, fly broomsticks, brew potions, that sort of thing. We attended a school for Witchcraft and Wizardry, that's where we learnt it all."

"A school?" Harry breathed. "Where you learned magic? Now you must be having me on!"

"Not at all. It's on the surface, in the highlands of Scotland," Lily replied. "It's called Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Harry scoffed. "What sort of a name for a school is that?"

"You know, Lil, he has a point," James quirked with a wry grin. "It is an odd sort of name, now you think about it."

"Perhaps," Lily agreed. "Maybe you can do some research into it, Harry … for as we've failed to prevent magic flourishing in you, we really think you ought to attend it."

"Me?" Harry blurted out. A school on the surface? Harry shuddered at the very notion. He felt a thrill of cold fear race along his spine in icy spikes. "But, Mum … I don't want to go. I want to stay here with you two. Don't make me go … please. You told me they were all savages who lived up there. How can they have any sort of schools, let alone ones that teach magic tricks?"

"We only told you that so you wouldn't ask questions," Lily replied guiltily. "Try not to feel too angry at us, Harry. We only did what we thought was best."

"But why?" Harry pushed.

"Because we did something … something very bad," Lily cut across quietly. "That's why your father and I came down here in the first place. It wasn't safe for us amongst the others wizards and witches any more."

"There are others?" Harry hushed.

"Yes, thousands of them, in countries all over the globe," James confirmed. "That world has been kept a secret for hundreds of years, because regular people would want magical solutions to all of their problem if they knew about it. So, when we came down here, we had to pretend we were just like everyone else and knew nothing about magic at all."

"And so we might have been able to stay, were it not for these recent developments with you," Lily took over. "You're growing up so quickly, and the closer you get to school age, the stronger the signs that are starting to show … and we can't protect you from these accidents you keep having. We may have to send you to our old school just so you are safe from the forces down here … perhaps even from your own burgeoning magical power. Seven years there and you wont know yourself."

"Seven years?" Harry whined. "No, Mum, don't say that!"

"Hey, don't be afraid," Lily soothed kindly. She leant over and kissed Harry's head. "We'll see you every Christmas and Summer. We'll just tell everyone that you are going to Eton or somewhere. Your father has been going to the surface, discussing the cover story with the headmaster of Hogwarts and making other arrangements for you. Being down here, see, the Hogwarts registrar wouldn't know how to contact you. You wouldn't get your invitation letter, but your Dad has sorted it."

"But Mum, I don't understand any of this," Harry moaned. "Why did you have to come underground in the first place? You said that the world up there is full of dangers. What did you do that was so terrible?"

"We broke a lot of laws, used some old and outlawed magic to help end a war that was going on when you were just a baby," Lily confessed. "It would have landed us in so much trouble with the authorities if we'd ever been caught, but we had no choice. We had to save you, no matter what it took."

"There was a wizard, you see, who went bad … as bad as you can go," James took over. "And he got it into his head that you were a threat to him, became obsessed with you to the point that all he could think about was finding you and killing you, even though you were just a baby."

"Me?" Harry muttered, a thrill of cold terror creeping along his pimply neck as he listened to the story. "How could I be a threat? I don't know any m-magic … or anything like that."

"I know, but there was a prophecy made about you," Lily went on. "It said that you had a mysterious and unnamed power, one that could … if harnessed properly … be a threat to, and actually defeat, this Dark Lord."

"So he wanted to get you out of the way first, before you had a chance to develop it," James continued. "But before he could come for you, we came up with a strategy with my best mate Sirius Black, and the Headmaster of Hogwarts, a wizard called Dumbledore. We used these illegal spells to lure the Dark Lord, who went by the name Voldemort, to us … and then we killed him."

Harry gasped aloud. "So you are ... murderers!?"

"Well, actually it was our friend, Sirius, who committed the final act," James confessed. "We did a deal with some insiders here in Pont-y-Annwn … non-magical people that Magical society call Muggles … for sanctuary. Then, once the trap for Voldemort was set, Sirius pretended to blow us up in the street, as he faked being on the side of the Dark Lord.

"Then, in the ensuing melee, your mother and I escaped with you to here, where we'd be safe away from the Magical authorities pursuing us. However, as Voldemort's last known movements were to go and kill you, magical society believes that you have some connection to his defeat a decade ago … though the stories are mostly wild and inaccurate.

"But what it does mean is that, in the Magical world on the surface, the name of Harry Potter is rather famous."

Harry gasped out loud as he tried to process that. "And what happened to thisSirius person?"

"They threw him into wizard prison," Lily revealed. "But he escaped. He is the only person ever to manage it. You'll meet him soon enough, and you can trust him to look after you."

"But how can anyone look after me up there!?" Harry cried hotly. "You said that this Dark Wizard wants to kill me! What if he has friends that want revenge or something?"

"Lord Voldemort is long dead, Harry, and any supporters he had were rounded up years ago," Lily answered. "Sirius and the Hogwarts Headmaster took care of that, as your father just said. Even to this day we don't know the exact details of how they did it. All we do know is that, if you stay down here with us, the Muggles will stop at nothing to find out your secrets. I cant let that happen to my beautiful boy … I wont."

"And what about this Stone thing that your friend brought you?" Harry pressed, shrewdly. "I heard her say that it was the key to You-Know-Who coming back. I assume she meant this Dark Lord you're talking about."

"He's too smart for us, Lil," James quipped, fondly. "Yes, Harry, alright … Voldemort may not be completely dead. And also yes, the Stone may be able to revive him. Which is why we have to keep it safe … and we need your help to do that."

"My help? How?"

"Because of what we did when you were a baby, you and the Stone are uniquely linked," Lily took over. "Whilst you possess it, it cannot be manipulated by anyone else."

"So you see, this is another reason why we need you to go to the surface," James went on. "Permanent protections for the Stone are being created as we speak, but we need to get it to the people building them as soon as possible. And there could be no safer courier than you."

Harry gulped hard as he considered that. His father was placing an important mission into his lap, one which might save everyone from the return of this Dark Lord. Despite his reluctance, Harry didn't see how he could possibly refuse.

In the end, with a weighty breath, he accepted the responsibility … even though he felt as vulnerable as the Fool from Tarot carrying the First Matter in his knapsack.

"Alright I can do that bit," Harry conceded. "But I don't want to go to this magic school, Mum. Please don't make me!"

"Wouldn't you want to learn magic?" James asked. "I would have thought, considering all those fantasy books that you read, that you'd jump at the chance."

"I would have," Harry replied honestly. "But not without you and Mum there with me. I don't want to go away and leave you both behind."

"We wish there was another way, too, sweetheart," Lily cooed, hugging Harry tenderly close. "But the risk is too imminent to think of another solution. That's why we have to get you safe as soon as possible."

"But can't you come? Why do you have to stay?"

"We told you, the Magical authorities will arrest us on sight if we just show up," James replied. "The punishment for what we did doesn't even bear thinking about."

Both James and Lily shuddered as the notion crossed their minds at the same time. Harry, though having no idea what they might be imagining, saw enough in their fraught expressions to know that he was glad of his ignorance about whatever it was.

"In any case, Harry, this is one of the most secretive Government facilities in the country," Lily continued after a moment. "This is where the highest classified Black Project research takes place. You don't just leave if you decide you've had enough. You commit to this for life. But you, you're just a boy. And there are programmes at Eton that are tied into what we do here. Pretending to send you there wont raise suspicions, if we do it quickly."

"And what about when I don't turn up there?" Harry pointed out fairly.

"Oh, Harry Potter, will enrol at Eton, it just won't be you. Don't ask questions, Harry. Just trust us. We'll take care of everything."

"Yeah, except for me," Harry spat, bitterly.

Lily frowned at her son. "Do you have a better idea? This is the only way to keep you safe from the Muggles."

Harry railed against the misery of the situation, but he couldn't think of an alternative. He turned to his mother. "Will I still be able to contact you?"

"We'll find a way," Lily promised faithfully.

"And I'll see you at Christmas and Summer?"

Lily nodded.

"And this Sirius character will help me, too?"

"If he doesn't, he'll have me to answer to!" Lily grinned.

"And I get to learn magic?"

For the first time, the spark of adventure flickered in Harry's chest. Lily smiled broadly as she saw it move up and cross his eyes.

"Lots and lots of it," she confirmed.

Harry took a steadying breath. "Okay. I'll do it. But tell me something first … you said you were trying to stop me doing magic down here. Why?"

"We thought it would be safer that way," James explained. "When we came here we had no idea of ever returning to the Magical world. We can control our magic, choose to use it or not, but we knew that you wouldn't be able to do the same without training.

"So we agreed to help the Muggles develop their technology … to suppress magic. We thought that we could shroud you under the cloak of that research."

"Please understand … and try not to hold this against us later … but your father and I have survived by helping the Muggles in such ways," Lily took over. "And these activities would land us in even greater trouble with the Magical World if the authorities there ever found out about it. The Muggles only use their suppression machines on the people who work down here, but we suspect that they want to use it on the surface world in the future. So we do all we can to delay the research.

"The Rusakov Field is the name given to the energy waves that they send out of the giant Tesla coils dotted around Pont-y-Annwn. It stops people down here from developing any sort of magical power. Your father and I were already Magical, so we aren't affected by Rusakov Particles, but you came down here so early in life that we weren't sure how you would develop at all."

"We didn't know how it would impact you being under the Rusakov Field, seeing as you were born on the surface in the first place," James went on. "And the Muggles let you stay with us because we said you were part of the research and experiment. So, as long as you didn't show any signs of magic, we could say the suppression systems were working, and they wouldn't take you away from us."

"But I've been having these accidents?" Harry pointed out.

"Exactly," Lily agreed. "Despite living under the Rusakov Field, your magic has still blossomed. And it will only continue to do so, placing you in the firing line of the Muggle scientists who want to study you. Your magical potential is just too strong, Harry."

"You aren't like other children, even magical ones, son," James added. "You have a uniquely dense adroitness to magic, and a resistance to all sorts of magical suppression. That prophecy was made about you for good reason, Harry … and it wont be safe for you here for much longer, so Hogwarts is really the only option."

"And what about this Arawn person? What about those Hounds?" Harry asked. "Where do they fit in?"

"Either they escaped … or they were set loose," James replied, darkly. "Arawn is the God of the Welsh Underworld, Harry … and his appetite for power may never be slaked. Either his Hounds sensed you and you were too tempting a target to resist, or someone freed them to go after you. Whatever the reason is, I'm going to go and find it out, now that you're home and safe "

"Not alone you're not!" Lily fired back, angrily. "You're not taking that risk without me."

"Don't worry, you know I have ways of not being seen," James assured her with a sort of smugness to his cryptic words. "Look after Harry ... just take him and go. Hide … hide in the cupboard under the stairs and seal it with your strongest wards. Don't open them until I get back."

And with that he skirted past his wife, with a little peck on the cheek before she could protest further, and disappeared into the night of the dark city.