Chapter Text
Lily Potter looked down at her son, holding him in her arms. Life had been very good to the Potters in the months after his birth, in spite of the war going on. As she held him, she blinked as she saw his jet-black hair change slowly to match her auburn. "James!" She called, and heard her husband come up the stairs and into the nursery. "Look!"
James came rushing into the room, stopping abruptly when he didn't see anything wrong. He looked to the baby and blinked, "What's up with Harry?" he asked her, approaching and leaning over to look at the child. The baby giggled, lifting a hand towards James, and slowly, his hair turned jet-black again, his eyes turning hazel. "Hey!" He beamed, "It changed again. You think he's like Nymphadora?"
"Probably. Andi told me that she started changing six or seven months after she was born, it's about the right time," Lily said. "We'll have to invite them over more often, I bet Nymphadora'll be thrilled."
Over the next few months, the Tonks became regular visitors, little Nymphadora often helping take care of Harry, proud to be the older one. Harry's birthday party was rather small as they were hiding, but he got to see a few other children, including Nymphadora. Lily insisted on taking pictures, pride of place being one where Harry stood up and kissed Nymphadora on the cheek.
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"I'm sure this will work," Lily told James, as she stood in the nursery. "It's based on an old ritual designed to bless the home. I've improved it, I think. Any who invade or break guest rights would find their magic curtailed and slowly siphoned away. If we do this right, even if we were to be killed, Harry would live, as I'll be placing the runic circle under his crib, hidden by a rug."
"Even if we're killed?" James asked, as he slipped his arm around Lily, pulling her close. "How does this work, exactly? You've always been better at the fiddly stuff than I."
"Yes. The way the spell works, each transgression builds magical power that both hinders the attacker and will eventually overwhelm them. A duel, for instance, would build power for each spell thrown by the intruder. If we can hold him off long enough, that in and of itself would allow the ritual to strike him down. If we can't...well." The red-head shuddered slightly, hugging her husband tightly, "Each death would empower the ritual further. At the very worst, if he kills both of us, trying to kill Harry would in and of itself empower the ritual enough to protect Harry from anything. It has to do with the arithmancy involved with three murders. It should work even with the Killing Curse, if the modifications I am putting into the ritual work as intended."
"So we stand and fight, and if we have to, we die, but Harry lives." James nodded once. "I don't like the idea of dying, but if it helps protect him, I'm all for it. If he finds us, somehow. We have to trust Peter."
"I really wish we could have chosen Remus for Secret Keeper, but he's been away so long. I know some of the Order worry that he's the spy, but I don't think so. Sirius is the obvious choice for Secret Keeper, but you know something about Peter rubs me the wrong way, him as the Secret Keeper worries me," Lily told her husband.
"Peter's a good bloke, I'm sure he'll be fine," James tried to assure his wife. He knew that Peter was a little shifty, but they'd been friends throughout Hogwarts, he'd never betray them.
Lily sighed. She knew that she and James would never see eye to eye on this topic.
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It was a quiet Samhain night. They'd already had dinner, and James sat in the living room, flipping through an old book. He felt nervous, there had been more attacks on the Order in the past few days. Suddenly, light flared outside as the wards shattered, and he rose to his feet, glancing over to his wife, "Lil! He's here, just broke down the wards. Take Harry and run!" James looked around quickly and dove to the side, picking up his wand.
The door was pushed open, and in stalked Voldemort. "Ah, Potter," the snake-like man snarled. "Time for you to die, for defying Lord Voldemort."
"Speaking of yourself in the third person? Little full of yourself, aren't you?" James quipped as darted to the side, avoiding a Killing Curse. He began to mimic the other wizard's voice, "'Lord Voldemort is here to kill you! No, Lord Voldemort is here for tea and crumpets!'"
Glowing runes had begun to light underneath the crib, upstairs.
"You dare? You will die horribly. Crucio!!" Voldemort set another curse, only to have it dodged as James lobbied a spell chain at him, Bone Breaker followed by Cutting Curse followed by Banishing Curse. Unfortunately, Voldemort blocked them with a powerful Shield Charm.
'Just have to hold him off, Lils' ritual will do the rest,' James thought, as he smirked at Voldemort. "I don't know. Don't really see me dying, do you?" He asked, sidestepping another Killing Curse. He lashed out with more spells, the room flashing with light from the duel.
Unfortunately for James, Voldemort wasn't alone and he was distracted as another stepped in, avoiding the Cutting Curse directed at him. This gave Voldemort enough time to strike, another Killing Curse coming in unseen. And James Potter fell.
The runes began to glow with a soft golden light.
"Wormtail! What do you think you were doing? You do not interfere with Lord Voldemort's duels! Crucio!" Briefly putting the other man under the Torture Curse, he released it as he climbed the steps, coming upon Lily Potter standing, wand in hand. "Step aside, girl, and you will live."
Lily Potter responded with, "Never!" She attacked. She knew she wasn't as magically powerful as James, but she was always more deft with spells, and she hoped she could slow him down. Inside, she wanted to cry, as she knew her husband was gone. Avoiding Voldemort's spells, she snapped more attacks at him, doing as her husband did, trying to draw out the battle.
Unfortunately for her, Voldemort was no fool. Avoiding an Entrail-Expelling Curse, he directed a Killing Curse not at her, but the baby in the crib. James was always the expert in battle conjuration, and so Lily did the only thing she could. She dived in front of the spell, and was no more.
Hidden by the rug, the runes began to glow more brightly, slowly turning white.
"Foolish girl. I promised Severus, but she forced my hand." Slowly, Voldemort approached the crib. "The prophecy says you will stop me. I will not allow that to happen." He gestured with his wand, and a Killing Curse streaked out towards Harry, "Avada Kedavra!"
Beneath the rug, the runes flared brightly, turning an opalescent white, so bright their glow penetrated their covering. The Killing Curse seemed to halt for a split second even as it touched Harry's temple, before it shattered, a shard of pure magic gouging into the baby's skin. Voldemort cried out in enraged surprise, even as blinding silvery-white light filled the room. And Voldemort felt his body burning, the magic searing through him.
In a single instant, the Dark Lord was no more, his wand clattering to the floor in a pile of ash.
Unexpected by Lily Potter, the power contained by the ritual grounded and a rush of magic poured into the child at the heart of the ritual.
Harry began to cry, frightened.
Up the stairs came a rotund figure. The figure gasped quietly in shock as he saw Voldemort's wand and robes covered in ash. Kneeling, he picked up Voldemort's wand, cradling it. Turning, he looked at the crib; with a trembling hand, he lifted his wand, pointing it towards the crib. About to cast, he heard the sound of a motorcycle, and shook his head, whispering, "Sirius, damnit." He turned and disappeared as he apparated out of the building.
The motorcycle outside shut off, and a slender figure came running into the house. "James!" Sirius cried, kneeling near the body of his friend, "Oh Merlin, James..." He stood up and ran up the steps, seeing Lily. He stopped, holding his head, "I'm too late, I'm too late." It was then that he heard a baby's cry.
"Harry?" He picked up the baby quickly, holding him in his arms. "Oh, thank Merlin you're all right," he murmured, tears falling. "Need to get him to safety, what if more Death Eaters come?"
He quickly went downstairs and left the building, near running into a large figure. "Hagrid!" He said, holding Harry carefully.
"Sirius! What happened?" Hagrid asked. "Dumbledore tol' me to come, look on Harry and take him to safety, he said the wards wen' down?"
"Voldemort. Peter must have told him. I'm going to kill him." Sirius snarled.
"Dumbledore tol' me to take Harry back to Hogwarts." Too caught up in his rage to think clearly, Sirius handed the baby over to the half-giant. "Take my motorcycle. I have a rat to catch."
Once Hagrid disappeared into the distance, Sirius waved his wand, murmuring a few spells. Then he turned and apparated away.
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It took some time, but Sirius finally caught up with his friend. As he approached, he was surprised by the traitor's words.
"Sirius, how could you?! You betrayed Lily and James!" Pettigrew's mocking cry echoed before the street exploded.
And all Sirius Black could do was laugh.
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In Hogwarts Castle, Dumbledore looked down at the child in his makeshift crib. "Sirius said that Pettigrew betrayed them?"
"Aye, Sirius was crying and upset. He gave Harry to me and said he was going to catch the rat, and left." Hagrid had tears in his eyes himself over the fate of the Potters. "Do you think he was telling the truth?"
"Hmmm. It is strange that Sirius so willingly gave up Harry. If he were a Death Eater, I presume the boy would have killed him." Dumbledore frowned. "We will need to contact the DMLE. I'll handle this, you go change and eat." He watched Hagrid leave, sighing.
First, he'd have to make arrangements for Harry. He'd like to send the boy away to live with muggles, where it was less likely Dark wizards would find him. But he was a metamorphmagus. They couldn't learn complete control of their changes until their magic settled around the time it was time to attend Hogwarts. The boy would have to be fostered in a Wizarding home.
There really was only one choice.
He headed to the floo, and threw some floo powder into the flames, "Tonks residence," he declared.
Soon, a brown-haired woman could be seen, "Albus? What can I do for you?"
"I need you to come through, Andromeda, it's important," Dumbledore answered, stepping back.
"Just a moment," the woman said, turning to pick up something and then stepped through the flames. Holding her wand carefully as she looked around, Andromeda glanced at Dumbledore, "What's going -- is that Harry?"
"I'm afraid so. Voldemort managed to find the Potter Cottage. Both James and Lily are dead, but Harry survived," Dumbledore explained. "Somehow, Voldemort was slain as well."
"Oh, Morgana, no," Andromeda said, tears in her eyes.
"He is going to need someone to care for him, and you and the Potters were close, are you willing?" the old wizard asked.
"Of course I am!" the woman declared as she approached Harry, bending down to look at him. "What is the scar on his forehead?"
"I'm not sure, there were traces of Dark magic, but after Pomfrey cleaned the wound and used Dittany, the scar healed," Dumbledore stated.
"Poor boy," Andromeda said with a sigh. "Do you know how Voldemort found them?"
"Well," Dumbledore said, "Hagrid said that he found Sirius there, crying. Apparently, he told Hagrid that Peter betrayed them and said he was going to hunt the rat. I hope we can find proof. He went around saying he was the Secret Keeper."
Andromeda sighed, "Oh, Sirius, you fool. Knowing him, he didn't make plans if something untoward happened. We can just hope Lily or James were smarter." She looked at Dumbledore, "Can I take him? I'd like to get him settled."
"Yes, though I warn, I'd like you to move in the near future. It'll be safer for Harry, there will be many people looking for him. Better that no one except those you trust implicitly know where you live," Dumbledore said.
"Understandable. I and Ted were thinking of moving already, he was promoted at Saint Mungo's." She nodded. "We'll look for a new house."
"I'll stop in and add some wards," Dumbledore added. "Let me send you away with a house elf. Dina?" An elf appeared near them.
"Thank you. Most forms of magical travel are not good for young babies," Andromeda said as she held Harry, gently wrapping a blanket around him.
"Please bring Andromeda home, you've been to their place before, yes?" Dumbledore asked. When the elf nodded, he watched as she touched Andromeda and all three of them disappeared from sight. "Time to get to work," he said with a sigh.
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A few days later, Dumbledore found himself in the Ministry. "You aren't listening," He told Barty Crouch. "The Potter Will is explicit. Sirius Black was not the Secret Keeper! It was Peter Pettigrew. You and Bagnold can't just send him to Azkaban."
"That doesn't matter," Crouch sneered. "Even if true, he still murdered twelve muggles as well as Pettigrew, that'd send him to Azkaban for life, anyway."
"Perhaps, but you should still investigate further," Dumbledore insisted. "And your men told the Prophet he was the Secret Keeper when that is patently untrue. You are maligning the character of a good man, and I won't have it."
"Keep your nose out of it, Dumbledore," Crouch ordered. "We know what we're doing, and if you don't stop, I will haul you in. You worked with both Black and Pettigrew."
Dumbledore looked amused, "Somehow, Barty, I don't think you'd be able to swing that accusation. Do you really want to humiliate yourself again?"
Crouch's hand slipped towards his wand holster, before he caught himself. He repeated, snarling, "Stay out of it, Dumbledore," before walking away.
"I think you will find, Barty," Dumbledore warned, "That even if you succeed in the short term, your current path will lead you to ruin. Think on it."
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Andromeda Tonks relaxed in the kitchen as she watched a borrowed Potter elf pack her house. It had been a trying week. Learning that the Potters were dead was a blow; she had started to think of Lily as a younger sister. Taking custody of Harry was bittersweet, especially when she went to the bank with him to deal with the Potter finances. Reading their Will... it was heart-warming to know that Lily had truly wanted her to take care of Harry, and she was relieved that the Will verified that Sirius wasn't the Secret Keeper. Too bad the DMLE were being bloody wankers about that. She might have to contact her Aunt Cassiopeia.
They were moving to a five-bedroom cottage in Suffolk, far away from other Wizarding communities. Not that this mattered with magical travel. She had already finished laying down a complicated ward scheme, including many of the more harsh defenses found in the Black houses. Once again, she was happy to have stolen so many books from the Black libraries before leaving. She'd let Dumbledore add more wards, and hopefully her Harry would be safe. Merlin, it was amazing how much the boy had wormed his way into her heart already.
"Missus Tonksie, the house is packed. Lucky will be moving it all to new place now. Would Missus like me to bring her and baby first?" When she nodded at him, Lucky popped her and Harry to their new home. Soon, boxes began to appear, as the elf began to transfer the kitchen first.
As she watched the boxes appear, Andromeda said, "Lucky, please bring Nymphadora's things next, and bring her here as well. I don't want to leave her alone in the old house too long."
"Yes, Missus Tonksie," the elf said. Not long later, Nymphadora came rushing down the stairs, "Hey mum! This place is great, more room and the yard is bigger! I have a great view from my room! Looks like we'll have enough land to go flying a bit!"
"I'm glad to hear it, Nymphadora," Andromeda responded. "Harry will be in the room next to yours, though I'm still picking him up some furniture. Be sure to tell Lucky if you want any boxes put in the attic storage."
"'k, mum!" Hopping over to look down at Harry in his small crib, she beamed, "I'm so glad Harry is here, mum. I miss Auntie Lily and Uncle James, though. I wish they didn't have to go away." The innocence of youth. "I'm glad you're taking care of him though! It's going to be great having him here, he'll be my best friend! Especially 'cause he can change like me!"
"I am too, dear," Andromeda said with a watery smile. "I wish they hadn't gone away either, I miss them."
"Mum?" Nymphadora looked down at Harry, suddenly making a decision, "I want to be like Auntie Lily. I'm going to marry Harry when we grow up."
Andromeda coughed, staring at her daughter, then started to smile. "You'll have to convince him of that, dear." Oh, she was going to have fun with this story when Nymphadora was older.
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In the wilderness, a young werewolf held a newspaper in his hands, sobbing. "SIRIUS BLACK NOT SECRET KEEPER. IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF PETTIGREW AND MUGGLES!"
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And meanwhile, as the days passed, people continued to celebrate the end of Voldemort, and the boy who somehow made it happen. After all, a mere Muggleborn witch couldn't have done anything, right?