Albus

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was worried. The war was not going well and there were concerning signs that Tom had at least one spy in the Order. Something made him go to Godric's Hollow where the Potters lived, abandoning the traditional Halloween Feast at Hogwarts and leaving the Castle in the hands of Minerva and Filius.

He Apparated to the spot behind the church and cautiously cast a Notice-Me-Not over himself to deter any Halloween-celebrating Muggles from asking questions. He didn't have to worry about being seen in his Wizarding garb this night at least and it was a relief not to worry about Transfiguring any clothing.

The village was calm and quiet. No one out and about, neither Muggle nor magical.

He rounded the corner and his heart sank. Already at the first glance it was clear that Tom had been there already.

The door to what was supposed to be a Secret-kept cottage had been completely obliterated, along with part of the wall. There was barely any Secret left to keep any longer.

James lay on the floor just inside the doorway, clearly too far gone to need any assistance anymore. There was no sign of blood, Tom had most likely used the Killing Curse.

The Headmaster paused. Someone was in the house, there was the sound of heavy breathing and moaning in a way James was not capable of any longer. After a quick peek in the kitchen just to make sure no one was left behind he made his way upstairs.

His spy and newest Hogwarts professor Severus Snape sat on the landing with Lily Potter in his arms, clutching her to him as if she was his only lifeline and he was drowning. He didn't even register Albus' presence, even as the Headmaster called his name while standing right next to him.

The wailing of a child could be heard nearby. Was Harry alive? A quick look in the nursery just next to where Lily lay showed the boy standing in his crib, crying, a trickle of blood running down his forehead.

Next to the crib the remains of Tom Marvolo Riddle were lying on the floor in a heap of dark robes. Albus leaned closer. Something was wrong with the body. It was Tom, but at the same time not. The body was desiccated and almost turned into a powder despite the short amount of time since it happened. As if the wizard's actual spirit had already left long before then. Albus backed off, careful not to touch it before the Aurors inevitably arrived. Had the boy had something to do with Tom's apparent defeat? Albus whispered a spell at the boy, vaguely noticing him stiffen while Albus sifted through his mind, hunting for clues. Ah there. A figure nearby, clearly Lily, screaming at someone which Harry found scary. Lily coming closer, then a vague male shape saying something and a flash of light making Lily crumple before the man — Tom — came closer, his wand almost touching Harry's forehead. Another flash of green but instead of the intended outcome it was Tom who crumpled while something rose from his body almost engulfing Harry, drawn to the mark on the boy's forehead left behind by the wand.

Albus withdrew from Harry's mind. Using Legilimency on such an immature mind was difficult, the only reason he'd been able to see anything was that it was so recent. No, clearly this wasn't over. Tom would be back in some shape or form, even if he had suffered a serious setback today. Albus sighed. He would deal with Harry, and with Severus, but both of them were in no immediate danger and he needed to ensure he hadn't overlooked anything.

He left the crib and went back to his spy who had failed to inform him of this attack. There was an amulet of some kind on the floor next to Severus. Albus bent down to pick it up, rubbing the curiously smooth stone with his thumb. It was a very simple piece, just a white pebble on a piece of string.

A woman materialised nearby. Her eyes darted between him and Severus on the floor, but the younger wizard was too wrapped up in Lily to even notice her. She looked human but there was something off about her, a scent of sulphur in the air around her, something in her eyes and the way she moved. He recognised it from somewhere. Suddenly a memory surfaced, of another one just like this one with promises and a tongue that spoke only lies, tricking him and Gellert when they only had honest intentions.

Albus pulled his wand and straightened to his full, not too shabby, height.

"You're no witch, are you, demon. This explains a thing or two."

"I have a fully valid contract, if you must know," she snapped. "How is Severus?"

"There was always a rumour that he was deep into the Dark Arts," Albus mused. "I see now that this was correct. How long have you been manipulating him, demon?"

"I have done no such thing!" the demoness snapped. A hint of wings started to appear behind her. "He wanted a friend, and a friend I have been. The contract has not been broken. Now why have you called me? You shouldn't have been able to."

"Clearly you meant less to him than you thought," Albus retorted. "He shouldn't have any demons as friends, not with so much still at stake. Were you behind this, too?" He gestured at the carnage around them.

She frowned and looked towards the wizard on the floor. Albus saw his opportunity, and took it. With an intricate flash of his wand he enveloped the demoness in a golden cage of light, the Elder Wand giving him strength to withstand even the powers of the Underworld. It took all his magical power even so but the wand made a near impossible task easy.

The demon shrieked, an eerie sound that pierced his bones and made his teeth rattle. She threw herself against the bars of the golden cage but immediately backed up when the light burned her flesh. An odd smell of burnt sulphur and lilacs arose around the cage.

"You will not distract him any longer. He has a purpose, and you are a threat to the greater good."

He flicked the wand again. A wind rose around the cage, causing the torn books and other things from the Potter home to lift into the air like a very localised tornado. Magic was crackling and buzzing, making the hairs in his ears stand on end. Snape, on the other hand, didn't appear to notice.

When the storm died down, a human girl of perhaps two years old stood in the cage. The bars no longer burnt her skin when she reached out a hand, curiously touching them.

"Hello," Albus ventured.

"Who are you?" the girl asked.

"I'm Albus, and you?"

"I'm Hermione."

"Let's get you out of here, I just have to clean up a bit first." Looking around the room he scooped up Harry before lowering the walls of the cage. He reached a hand out for the girl who was no longer a threat to him and his world, no longer a demon.

Albus had pocketed the stone necklace, just in case. A quick flick of his wand, and Severus was none the wiser. The young man had barely noticed anything anyway.

The boy would have to be dropped off with Lily's sister and the girl in the Muggle world. He knew a Squib who might be able to help find a good family for her. Well, a family, at least.