What dreams may come
March 14 2002
Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived. That's what they had called him, the infant who survived a killing curse from the darkest wizard in a generation. He had fought Voldemort to a standstill at the Battle of Hogwarts, then came the second killing curse. He'd survived that one as well, Voldemort had apparated away and the war increased in ferocity. It had taken Voldemort and his Death Eaters quite a while, but now he was the last Order member alive. It had taken the snatchers working constantly, checking every home in every city they came to, but at long last they had found Harry Potter hiding in Godrics Hollow. Bellatrix Lestrange was the first one to enter the ruins of Harry's childhood home, the other Death Eaters were going around the back. She had killed his friend Ron, she had killed his wife Ginny, and now it was time to finish the job.
"Come out and play little potty! I'm sure you'll be more fun than your little Ginny-poo!" She sang, nimbly dodging the bombarda that Harry cast at her. She grinned, her tongue peeking out of the corner of her mouth, "Tut tut tut little potty, you've got to do better than that, let me show you," She raised her wand, pointing it towards the doorway she had seen Harry cast from, CRUCIO! She cried as the torture curse flew from her wand. She heard a scream from inside the room, "Hah! Got you!" She said as she skipped into the ruins of the Potter family kitchen.
She saw a form cowering on the floor, twitching from the residual effects of her curse. "There you are, you naughty little boy.." She leaned in, only to see that it was not Harry Potter, it was her husband Rodolphus. "Aw Roddy, you got in the way of my spell..." She kicked her husbands prone form then perked her head up in time to see Harry standing there.
DIFFINDO! Harry cried out, watching with grim satisfaction as the spell parted the head of Bellatrix Lestrange from her neck.
That was when he heard the voices behind him, three Death Eaters called out as one STUPEFY!
Harry Potter knew no more.
Scene Break
Harry awoke in the Department of Mysteries. He was tied up in damp heavy ropes. All around him the Death Eaters were watching with eager anticipation. He was the last one left, with him gone, there would never again be a threat to the rule of their master. That was what brought them here, to the Veil.
"Ah, Harry Potter, you are awake I see..I'm glad...I didn't want to kill you until you were conscious." The cold, gloating voice of Voldemort cut like a knife in the air of the silent room. Harry didn't turn his head, I'm beaten...I'm not giving him the satisfaction of being afraid...
"Well hello Tommy, I didn't think we'd see each other so soon after I blew up Malfoy Manor." He smirked as the Death Eaters began to murmur angrily. The destruction of Malfoy Manor at Yule had been the last defiant act of the remaining Order members. Hermione had sacrificed herself to give Harry an escape route, getting the attention of the Death Eaters and then casting fiendfyre to destroy herself, the manor, and them along with it.
"A very clever ploy, convincing your witless mudblood bitch to kill herself. But it seems you never did have any issue finding witches to kill themselves to save your miserable life." Voldemort hissed, "I brought you to a special place...I am a merciful Lord, so I decided, in my kindness, to let you meet your worthless family again. Macnair, Yaxley, send Mr. Potter to his final reward..."
Voldemort stepped away, allowing the two Death Eaters to take Harry's arms and drag him roughly towards the Veil.
"Enjoy the embrace of the hereafter, Potter." Yaxley said as he and his fellow Death Eater thrust Harry through the veil and into oblivion.
Scene Break
I thought death would feel different when it is permanent...Harry thought as he opened his eyes. He was looking at the floor of the Department of Mysteries, confused he found that the conjured ropes he had been bound with were gone. Shakily he rose to his feet. That was when he realized something, he was surrounded by wizards holding wands. "I guess sending me through didn't work eh Tommy?" He said, before realizing that the wizards before him weren't wearing Death Eaters robes but rather gray robes with hoods that obscured their faces.
"Where did you come from?" Said the one closest to him, from the voice Harry was unsure if it was a man or a woman or if they were old or young. "Well?" They asked bringing their wand up to his face.
"I came from...here, I mean the Death Eaters threw me through the Veil and I woke up here." Harry said.
"What are 'Death Eaters'?" The robed figure asked him, Harry was about to answer when the door opened and a familiar figure came into the room.
"Professor Dumbledore? You're alive?" Harry ignored the wizards in front of him, Albus Dumbledore was standing in the doorway with another of the gray robed wizards.
"I'm sorry, have we met?" Dumbledore appeared confused, the wizard at his side spoke.
"I think you'd better come with me.."
Scene Break
"So that's the story...in 2002, the Death Eaters brought me here and tossed me through the Veil..." Harry finished speaking. The wizard who had led Harry and Dumbledore into their office had identified themselves as the Chief Unspeakable. They hadn't given Harry a name.
"Here being the year 1972. You were sent back thirty years.." The Chief Unspeakable said softly, "Now how did you get here Albus?" They said looking to the Headmaster.
"Fawkes told me that I was needed here. He must have known that you were coming." Dumbledore said looking to Harry, he then sighed thinking about the situation for a moment, "In your time the War had ended."
"And in ours the war hasn't begun." The Chief Unspeakable said jotting down some notes onto a sheet of parchment on their desk. "Harry, I've got a plan..you say that Tom Riddle started his war by recruiting students at Hogwarts correct?"
"Yes. He recruited students, mostly from Slytherin House."
"He wanted Purebloods then. He wanted bigots who believe that somehow being born of two wizards would affect your magical talent." The Unspeakable scoffed then looked to Dumbledore. "Albus, that bird of yours told you to come here to meet Harry. That is not a coincidence. I want you to take him to Hogwarts with you, let him mingle with the students, get to know them, more importantly let him find out who among the students are followers of Tom Riddle and who are just sheep following out of fear."
"I'm afraid that Harry here is a bit too old to be a student, even a seventh year student...perhaps there is something we could do..." The Headmaster looked pensive for a moment, pursing his lips in thought. Then he smiled and looked over to Harry, his eyes twinkling, "Harry my boy, how would you feel about teaching a class at Hogwarts? I think this would be a good time to start a dueling class for the new school term..."
Scene Break
Grimmauld Place was a very different place than it would be in Harry's time. It was still a rather austere place, but for now at least there were signs of life. One such sign was the blonde teenage witch walking through the hall. The Hogwarts letter had arrived for Narcissa Black. Her father Cygnus had brought her into the study.
"This is your final year my dear. You'll be ready to take your place in the world after this year." He smiled embracing her. Cygnus Black loved his three daughters with his whole heart. His wife, Druella however only saw the girls as gifts she could offer other powerful families. His eldest, Andromeda had escaped her fate, she had chosen exile from the family over marriage to Rodolphus Lestrange. Unperturbed, Druella had chosen to wed their middle child Bellatrix to the scion of the Lestrange family instead.
My poor Bella...He thought sadly, she had been his favorite child. She was the cleverest of the Black sisters, she was also the most ambitious, You would have done so well in the world...I can only hope you are happy..wherever you are.. No one had seen Bellatrix since the wedding, she and her new husband had vanished to undertake 'important work, critical to the success of our kind.'
Cygnus released his daughter from his embrace, "Madam Pomfrey sent a message with your Hogwarts letter.." He said handing her the package. Eagerly Narcissa opened it. There were three letters inside the envelope, the first one was the standard Hogwarts letter telling her of the classes she could choose and what books she would need. The second was the letter from Madam Pomfrey,
Dear Narcissa,
I look forward to continuing to guide you through your training as a medi-witch. Enclosed is a list of books I would like you to purchase with your school texts. This year, being your final with us, I have a term long project I would like you to assist me with as part of your Mastery of the Healing arts.
Yours,
Madame Pomfrey
Narcissa smiled reading the note, Madam Pomfrey had always been a great source of assistance during her previous six years at Hogwarts. Always willing to guide Narcissa to what she needed to learn in order to be the best medi-witch possible. The two books Huberts Guide to Herbs and Mockridge's guide to poultices and salves were books she had already been eyeing whenever she went to Diagon Alley with her family. Then she looked at the third letter, this one was from Headmaster Dumbledore himself,
Students,
As a special elective we will be offering a dueling class three evenings a week to students fifth year and above. Our instructor hopes that you all avail yourselves of the class.
Yours,
Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
A dueling class? I suppose if it doesn't impede my medi-witch training it couldn't hurt to learn a few new moves...She looked to her father, "Madam Pomfrey wants me to undertake as special project this year. The other letter is an invitation to take the new dueling elective."
"Dueling? Capital!" Her father brought his hands together, "Dueling is a fantastic pastime for a young witch or wizard. The witches learn how to defend themselves and the wizards learn who not to mess with," He grinned and looked to his youngest daughter, "Will you go?"
"I just might father.."
Scene Break
The trip to Hogwarts was uneventful. Lucius Malfoy had insisted on sitting with her. He was after all, her future husband, another plan made by her mother and aunt. The Malfoy family had nearly as much wealth and power as the Blacks, and their son would inherit his fathers place in the Wizengamot in due time. Sadly for Narcissa, while Lucius was handsome and could be charming when he wished, he was also a pompous arrogant fool.
"Were you listening Narcissa?" His voice cut through her reverie.
"I'm sorry Lucius, I must have been distracted.." She said, she hadn't been listening, but not because she was day dreaming. She was ignoring him on purpose, he had started explaining how once they were married that she would keep their home instead of 'sullying' herself with work.
"As I said, if you wish to study your medi-witch nonsense this year that's fine. It'll give you something to do, however once we are married those books will go on the shelf. You will be the Lady Malfoy, your job will be to raise my heir." He said softly, outside of their compartment they heard a loud argument. He rolled his eyes and cast a silencing charm on the door.
"That fool cousin of yours again. He and his little friends will meet a sticky end one day with the way they carry on." Narcissa managed to hide her eye roll this time, Sirius has nothing to fear from you, you blonde ponce..She shifted in her seat looking out at the landscape. They were nearly at Hogwarts now, I hope this year lasts forever, then I won't have to worry about you anymore...
The opening feast was, as it always was, a noisy affair. Dumbledore rose, using a sonorus charm to amplify his voice,
"Greetings to you all and welcome to another year at Hogwarts. Unless of course, this is your first year and then I welcome you to that. Apollyon Pringle, our caretaker has tacked outside of his office a list all items considered contraband and I invite all the students to read it at their leisure. The final item on the agenda for students fifth year and above, our dueling instructor Professor Harry Fawkes, comes to us from the American Dueling circuit and I wish to welcome him." With that, the headmaster led the school in a round of polite applause.
He's the most handsome man I've ever seen... The thought sprang to mind in more than one young witch, but most of all in the minds of two witches in particular. Narcissa looked at the handsome dark haired man, Merlin, even with those awful glasses he's handsome..She felt a slight blush reach her cheeks before she took back her nerves.
The other witch was a second year Gryffindor named Lily Evans. She wasn't sure what it was about the young man, but there was a strange familiarity about him that intrigued her. I hope he stays here when I reach fifth year..maybe I can still speak to him outside of class...
Harry Potter, now known as Harry Fawkes, looked out over the tables in the great hall. There were quite a few Death Eaters in the making in this place, sitting here he made note of the ones he saw, There's Yaxley..Macnair..over at the Gryffindor table there's Wormtail with my dad, Sirius, and Professor Lupin..that's weird to call him, best get used to calling him Remus here...there's a twelve year old Snape sitting at Slytherin table looking at my Mum...there's Lucius Malfoy sitting beside...Merlin's saggy bollocks..that's what Draco's mom looks like at seventeen?
Narcissa Malfoy was quite simply one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen. Long blonde hair and icy blue eyes, she was staring at him so Harry decided the best thing to do would be to busy himself with his meal.
As the feast ended, Dumbledore beckoned to him, "Professor Fawkes, would you please follow me to your office?" Harry rose and followed the Headmaster towards the Hufflepuff wing and then up a flight of stairs to the fourth floor. Harry's classroom led into his office and once inside Dumbledore closed the door and cast silencing charms upon it.
"Are you prepared for the start of term?" Dumbledore asked him, to which Harry shrugged.
"I'm as prepared as I can be, thank you for helping me with the lesson plans..I never made ones when I started the DA at Hogwarts.."
Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling slightly, "Ah yes, 'Dumbledore's Army'...I must say, you do have a flair for naming things.." He looked at the room for a moment, "This was my first classroom here at Hogwarts, did you know that?" Dumbledore took a few steps towards the desk and then closed his eyes.
"I've taught generations of young witches and wizards here, gave them the best chance I could at a good start in life..please do the same thing. Give the students the tools they will need in life. Who knows, perhaps if we cut off the body by giving the recruits of Mr. Riddle somewhere else to feel at home, we can kill the head with less bloodshed."
Harry sighed and touched the scar on his forehead, "Perhaps sir, but I'm still going keep a firm hand on my wand until Voldemort is killed permanently this time. "
Dumbledore looked to him, "Do not let that hate for him poison your heart...this is a second chance for all of us. You can stop this war, you can also build a life to replace the one you lost.." With that, the headmaster left the room. Harry walked into his office and sat on his chair.
He pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey from his desk and poured himself a small glass, that hate is what's kept me alive, I'm not going to let go of it until every Death Eater is either dead or locked up in Azkaban...