Of Life and Death
A/N: Here is the start to something mildly interesting. I am going to create Harry Potter as I think it should have been created. I am not doing this to please an audience, I am doing it to test my writing abilities. If you like it, leave a comment with feedback. If you hate it, tell me how to make it better. This story will be set from the beginning of fourth year on.
Of Life and Death
Harry jolted awake, danger senses going crazy. His bedroom was dark and silent, but he knew there was something wrong. Number 4 Privet Drive was usually quiet, but never silent. His hands instinctively went to his glasses on the bedside table.
As his eyes adjusted to the dark room, he got up and moved his bed. This revealed the secret compartment where he stowed his magical items, such as his books and his wand. Harry removed his wand and walked towards the door. There was no sound from the adjoining room where Dudley usually snored. He could not hear the equally loud snore from Vernon downstairs. He could hear nothing.
Arm hair standing upright, he slowly twisted the door to unlock it. He opened the door to see a dark hallway. Noise assaulted his ears, originating from across the hallway. Hushed whispers and silent screams. Harry crept to the entrance of Dudley's spare bedroom, wand shaking in his hand. Fear gripped his heart. He silenced his feet, ministry be dammed.
He edged the door open and took in the scene before him. What he saw horrified him. No amount of hatred for the Dursleys could have prepared him for the scene in front of him. Vernon and Petunia were hogtied to a chair, staring at their whale of a son who was strung up on the wall. Dudley's fingers were all cut off, floating aimlessly through the air next to him. A cowled man in a mask stood before Vernon, harshly whispering in his ears. Death Eater. Harry could make out little of what he said.
"You are foolish to protect him, I will find the boy eventually." The man said insanely. "I will take his whole left hand next and keep working my way up until you can no longer recognize him as your son".
Vernon was crying freely, something Harry had never seen him do. The Dursleys may have been terrible to him as a child, but they were still family. He hated them, but they were still family. Harry was horrorstricken at the scene before him. The man unsilenced Vernon with a wave of his wand.
"I told you, he's in the bedroom across the hall." Vernon gibbered out.
"There is no room across the hallway you lard" The man yelled. Without missing a beat, he threw a cutting curse at Dudley, severing his left hand. Dudley silently screamed; voice suppressed by a silencing charm. "Pity I can't let you listen to his screams. Perhaps then you would cooperate." The Death Eater turned back to Petunia.
Petunia was no longer staring at her little Duddykins. She had noticed Harry in the doorway. Her eyes were pleading, begging him to help them. He had never seen that look before. The events that occurred next happened very quickly.
The Death Eater followed Petunia's gaze towards the doorway where Harry stood. He quickly raised his wand and began to shout the stunning charm.
"Stupe…" The man's curse was cut off. Harry had already been pointing his wand at the man and had the words for the disarming charm on his lips. The Death Eater was surprised to find himself blasted backwards towards the wall. Harry was shocked at the power behind the charm, as the man hit Dudley's oak desk much harder than intended. There was a sickening crack, leaving the man with a head lolled much too far to the right.
With the man's death, his silencing charms fell and noise returned to Number Four Privet Drive. Harry was frozen as the ropes fell from Dudley and his screaming began. All he could look at was the man, clearly dead, slumped on the floor. He had killed him. He was a murderer. He fell to his knees and vomited.
Vernon was yelling over the telephone at what Harry assumed to be a police dispatcher. Blood filled his ears, drowning out the noise. Petunia was shaking Harry. She was screaming at him, assumedly to help Dudley. The boy was bleeding out, going in and out of consciousness. Numbly, he crawled to the fat boy and performed a simple mending charm. It took immediate effect, nubbing the wound.
As hearing returned to Harry, he noticed that Vernon had hung up the phone. The man was muttering about static. He locked eyes with Harry, and Harry saw fire there.
"BOY! YOU NEED TO FIX THIS! FIX HIS HAND, PUT IT BACK!" Vernon screamed.
Harry was at a loss for words. He could not focus on the screaming man; he could only focus on the dead man before him. Harry crept forward and tilted the man's mangled head up. He gently removed the mask and gasped audibly. Before him lay the caved in skull of Peter Pettigrew, eyes glazed over. Bile rose in his throat again. Harry hated Wormtail, but he hadn't wanted to kill him. 'Murderer', his brain screamed once more.
There was noise from downstairs, making them all stop what they were doing. Uncle Vernon turned sheet white and Petunia tried to cover Dudley's screams. Vernon grunted at Harry, gesturing for him to go check it out.
Still numb, Harry stood and slowly crept from the room. The noise was getting louder and louder, now clearly the sound of creaking stairs. No longer silent, the hallway was no less fear inducing. A single light was holding onto life overhead, but nothing was lighting the stairway.
A figure appeared at the end of the hallway, tall and dangerous looking. Harry shouted a stunner, afraid of the normally harmless disarming charm. The spell was deflected with ease, and the figure came into the light. Albus Dumbledore stood, looking older than Harry had ever seen. The lights seemed to flicker with the powerful presence of the headmaster.
"Professor..." Harry began before falling to his knees. Dumbledore rushed forward to catch the boy before he fell to the floor. His world faded to black, and all he could feel was the headmaster's arms closing around him.
"I'm here, my boy." The man whispered somberly. He gently picked Harry up and carried him, leaving his wand arm free. The headmaster entered Dudley's room to find a mess. The Dursleys were hunched together, Vernon guarding a rather ragged looking Dudley. He looked somberly at the dead form of Peter Pettigrew. There was nothing he could do for the man. He turned around and reentered the hallway. He could sense disapparation occurring in mass outside the house.
Aurors were showing up, so he quickly disapparated with only one location in mind.
Dumbledore reappeared in the hospital wing, and hastily laid Harry in an open bed. His mind was racing. He was grateful that he had reached the boy before the ministry, not knowing what type of person would have gotten to him first. There were many followers of the Dark Lord there, and he could not afford to let them get their hands on The Boy who Lived.
With the discovery of Peter Pettigrew in the Dursley son's room, the ministry would be in an uproar. He rubbed his temples before resolving to take charge of the situation that he was thrust into. With a sigh, he twisted and vanished to the ministry.
Harry woke up screaming. Panic assaulted him, image after image flashing through his mind of Wormtail lying mangled on the floor of Dudley's room. It took a few seconds for him to adjust to his new environment, but when he did, he was surprised. He was in a rather empty Hogwarts hospital wing, the only occupant being himself.
Several seconds passed before there was ruckus coming from behind a door adjacent to him. He froze, reaching for his wand. It was nowhere near him. The door opened and instead of a Death Eater, he found only a bustling healer by the name of Madame Pomphrey.
"You're awake!" She exclaimed. "How are you Mr. Potter? I understand you had quite the night. Professor Dumbledore dropped you off early in the morning and left without saying a word."
Harry looked at her confusedly. "What time is it?"
"Right around 3 in the afternoon, you've been sleeping all day. No physical damage on your body but judging on your wake up, you had a rough night."
Harry nodded. "Where is my wand?" he asked.
"Ah, yes. Here you are, I took it so that you didn't curse me when you woke up. Knowing you, you were up to some mischief last night."
Harry nodded and took his wand. It felt very heavy in his hand, weighed down by the night before.
"Would you like to talk about last night, Harry?" The matron asked.
Harry shook his head. At that gesture, the healer smiled at him sadly and turned heel, closing her door behind her as she reentered her office. Harry studied his surroundings. It was quiet in the hospital wing, something that he was not used to. He replayed the night's events in his mind and cringed. He had killed Pettigrew. Sirius would be elated no doubt, but where Harry thought he would find satisfaction, he only found emptiness. He drifted back to sleep, fearing the dreams that would find him.
Harry once again woke violently, this time because somebody was gently shaking his shoulder. Once he had control of his body again, he realized that it was the headmaster who had been trying to wake him.
"My apologies Harry, but I thought to wake you so that I could inform you of some very important things."
Harry's eye's widened. He looked towards the door of the hospital wing, expecting Aurors to barge through and arrest him.
Seemingly reading his mind, Dumbledore looked somberly toward Harry. "Don't worry, you are in no trouble with the ministry."
"But sir, I killed Pettigrew. I'm a murderer."
"You are not a murderer, Harry." Dumbledore's eyes softened as he spoke "The ministry pulled the memories of your uncle. You acted in self-defense when Mr. Pettigrew was killed. Luckily, Madame Bones was the first Auror to reach the scene. She conducted an unbiased investigation, which is still underway. You were, however, cleared of any wrongdoing."
"Wormtail… what happened to him?" Harry asked. "What is going to happen to Sirius?"
Dumbledore sighed. "The minister tried to sweep it under the rug" he said, "In fact, he was doing just that when I arrived at the ministry. I threatened to come forward with my memories of Peter, along with the full weight of all of my titles."
Harry's eyes widened. "Will Sirius be freed?"
"Sirius has had his kiss on sight order rescinded, and Madame Bones has issued a notice that he report to the ministry for immediate interrogation. I am in contact with him, and we will report to the ministry together so that he is under my protection during the interrogation. They will likely question him under Veritaserum, something that should have been done immediately upon his first arrest."
Harry felt relief pool through him. His godfather would be exonerated, and there was nothing that Minister Fudge could do to stop it.
"When can I see him?" Harry asked.
"Likely not until he is freed. He will not be able to travel freely until then, but rest assured you will be the first person that he sees as a free man."
"What about the Dursleys? Are they ok?" Dumbledore smiled sadly. How could he break it to the child that he could never go back to his relatives?
"They are ok, Harry. Dudley had his hand and fingers reattached and is on the road to full recovery. I'm sorry to say that you will never be able to stay with them again. After the trauma of the prior night, I feel it is necessary to distance yourself from them."
Dumbledore was shocked when Harry smiled. "I'm quite alright with that" he responded.
Dumbledore smiled grimly. He had his speculations that Harry had not had the best childhood growing up, but he did not expect relief that he would never see them again. Perhaps he had looked over Harry a little too much. He decided to shift the conversation around.
"You will go to the Burrow for the rest of the Summer. It will be under strict watch, and I promise that I will keep you updated on all things ministry." Dumbledore said. "I have failed you, Harry. I will not be so unwise to fail you again."
Harry nodded, satisfied. He knew that the old man had his faults, but he believed that the headmaster had his best interest at heart. Dumbledore hesitated before speaking again.
"Harry, I have decided to start being forthcoming with you. I was unwise not to put trust in you before, you have experienced more in your three years at Hogwarts than most wizards in a lifetime."
"What do you mean, sir?"
"Upon examination of Mr. Dursley's memories, I found the conversation that Mr. Pettigrew had to be very disturbing. Along with that, a ritual was found on the body that detailed a resurrection ritual." Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose as he spoke. "The ritual detailed several things, among them being "flesh of the enemy, forcibly taken". He was coming to kidnap you Harry, so that he could resurrect Voldemort."
"How did he find me?" Harry asked.
"A mystery that I am still trying to solve. One that may have died with him." Dumbledore said.
"I want you to know, Harry, that I do not blame you in the slightest for Pettigrew's death." Dumbledore continued. "You acted to save your life, and the life of your family."
Harry swelled with unexpected emotion. It did not fill the hole that the killing had created, but it helped to know that Professor Dumbledore did not look at him differently.
"We need to be prepared for the upcoming school year, my boy. Pettigrew was not the strongest of Voldemort's circle, and I feel that he will not be the last to attack your person."
Harry nodded grimly. He did not know what kind of "preparations" Professor Dumbledore had in mind, but he was determined to become stronger so that he could protect those he loved.
The aged professor gave Harry a final smile before turning around and walking briskly from the hospital wing.
Harry awoke the next morning in somewhat of a better state. He had vivid nightmares of Pettigrew killing his relatives and then being killed by Harry in the most gruesome of ways. There were bags under his eyes when he walked out of the hospital wing with Professor Dumbledore. They reached his office, and he was surprised to see a middle-aged witch waiting for them.
Fawkes sang softly, filling Harry with positive energy as he took a seat next to the witch. Dumbledore walked around his desk and plopped down into his grand chair, looking exhausted. He promptly offered them both lemon drops to which they declined.
"Harry, this is Madame Bones. She is here to ask some questions about Sirius." Dumbledore said.
Harry's eyes widened at the mention of his godfather. Thoughts raced through his head, some of concern and some of delight.
"Yes, thank you Professor Dumbledore. Well met Harry, I am Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
Harry shook her hand as he said "Nice to meet you, Madame Bones. Do you happen to be related to Susan Bones? She is in my year."
Madame Bones' eyes softened at the mention of Susan. "Yes, she is my niece and I am her guardian."
"Her guardian?" Harry asked curiously.
"Yes, her parents were Aurors like me. Both were killed in the first war against Voldemort."
Harry nodded, immediately liking the woman. She was one of the few people who he had heard use Voldemort's name without fear.
"I didn't know that Susan was an orphan like me" Harry said.
"I try not to view her as an orphan. I have been her guardian since she was a baby. You will find, Mr. Potter, that a lot of your fellow students are like yourself and my Susan. Enough with the pleasantries, would you be willing to answer some questions?"
"As long as they don't incriminate my godfather, Madame Bones."
She smiled and began her questioning. Hours later, she left Dumbledore's office with grim determination. The ministry had, without a doubt, wronged Harry and his godfather. All faults seemed to revolve around a certain Minister for Magic. She would get her justice, one way or another.
Harry and Dumbledore sat in a comfortable silence, both thinking about the conversations that they had just had with the director of the DMLE. After several minutes, Dumbledore broke the silence.
"I see no more reason to keep you cooped up in this empty castle, Harry. The DMLE have been kind enough to set up a 24/7 guard of the Burrow starting tonight. The Weasleys are excited to have you back in their home. I believe that young Hermione Granger also arrived sometime this afternoon."
Harry smiled weakly at the old man. He felt comfortable talking to the headmaster after the events of the days prior.
"How can I face them knowing what I've done?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore looked at the boy somberly. "I do not have a good answer for you, Harry. I do know however, that a true friend will always be able to understand the actions of a fellow friend."
Harry nodded to the old man. He could see Hermione understanding, but he didn't know if Ron could handle the news that Harry had become a killer.
Dumbledore looked at Harry with sad eyes. The boy had experienced far too much in the years that he had been at Hogwarts. The headmaster resolved himself to doing everything that he could to make sure that the boy had a normal fourth year.
"I will apparate you to the burrow whenever you are ready, my boy." Dumbledore said gently. "Your belongings have already been transported there by Auror."
Harry nodded and got up, stretching after sitting in the chair for so long. He headed around the desk to where Dumbledore stood, arm outstretched. As soon as he touched the headmaster's arm, he heard a pop and felt as though he were being shoved through a toothpaste bottle.
When Harry reappeared, they were in a wheat field standing before the Burrow. It seemed so peaceful, the wind gently blowing through wheat crop. There were birds in the surrounding trees, singing a melody. Harry noticed none of this as the two strode up to the door. All he could think about was how he would face his best friends.
Dumbledore opened the door and beckoned Harry through. He had faced worse before, he thought. He stepped through the doorframe and into the burrow, a knot in his stomach.
Time to face the music.
A/N
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I plan on writing another and posting tomorrow night. Thank you! -TheFallen