Harry Redux

Harry became aware of his surroundings again, it wasn’t Kings Cross. He expected to see his parents, Sirius, Remus, and the many fallen he missed. Instead he was in the dark, it smelled of dust, sweat and faintly of urine. He rolled onto his back, and pain flared in his shoulder. It felt weird, his body was week and small? He cast a wandless lumos.

He was in the fucking cupboard at Privet Drive.

Harry conjured a mirror and looked at himself. His eyesight was crap, and he looked about four. He tried to sit up and his left arm sent another jolt of pain into him. He knew when it was. He had dropped Vernon’s second helping as he tried to carry it from the stove and the backhand he received had sent him to the floor, he had dislocated his shoulder landing with his arm trapped behind him. He needed to get out of here. This was either purgatory, or a do over. If it was purgatory, he figured it would be like Groundhog Day and he would just wake up back here. Could be fun he thought as he smacked his shoulder into the door frame and knocked it back in with a grunt of pain.

His cupboard door wasn’t locked, not at this stage of his life, that came later. He stood. Clearing his mind he felt Dumbledore’s pathetic blood wards. They served one purpose to his mind, they leached magic from Harry. He reached out and shut them down. Kneeling for a moment he looked inward and removed the bindings on his magic. He checked the mirror, his scar was faint, no soul shard then?

He gathered himself and bringing up the memory from his past, he apparated to Andromeda Tonks house, he appeared in the kitchen and promptly passed out having almost exhausted his four year old body’s magic. Woken by their house wards, Ted and Andi made their way cautiously downstairs, wands out and alert and found the small boy unresponsive on the kitchen floor. Andromeda’s healer instincts cut in and she cast diagnostics.

“Magical exhaustion. It must have been a burst of accidental magic. Ted. This is Harry Potter. Sirius’s missing godson. He has the scar, and if this isn’t the son of James and Lily Potter, my name is Merlin.”

Ted scooped the small child from the floor and they carried him upstairs where they settled him in their daughter’s room for the night, she was away at Hogwarts. They would sort more permanent accommodation if required.

The following morning Andromeda sat at the end of the bed, and gently woke the small boy. “Hello. Can you tell me your name?” Harry considered being a smart arse for a moment, but Andromeda had never been anything but lovely to him, even after the loss of most of her family. He had seen a lot of her in later years helping to raise Teddy. “Harry James Potter. The Dursleys call me ‘freak’ or just ‘boy’.” He said in his way too squeaky voice.

He saw the look of surprise on her face. “I am Andromeda Tonks, I am a cousin of your Godfather, how did you know to come here.”

Harry thought for a moment, what could he tell her that would not sound insane. “My mum visits me in my dreams. She told me you were the best of his family. She said he is innocent; he has not had a trial. She said to tell your Grandfather Arcturus, my Great Grandmother was his sister, we are family. Sirius is still his Heir. Tell him the heir to the House of Black was sent to Azkaban without even being questioned.” She stared at him in wonder.

“Lily visits you.”

“Sometimes,” he thought about the time he had met her in the forest, as he thought of his mother his left wrist burned and he looked. There as clear as day was the mark of the Hallows on his inner wrist, the circle glowing orange.

“Harry, what are you doing?” Andromeda asked, Next to harry a grey mist was forming into the shape of a body, as it resolved, Andromeda pulled her wand and held it warily, the shape became solid.

“Andi. Is that any way to treat an old friend. I just came to see if my boy was safe now he managed to get himself away from my sister.” Lily Potter sat on the side of the bed, shimmering slightly.

“Lily is that really you.”

“In the,” she paused and looked down, “Spirit?” she laughed.

“Oh Merlin. How is this. Is Harry doing this?”

Lily nodded, “It has to be kept secret for now, but, yes Harry can call us back to visit.”

“So what he said was true, Sirius is innocent.”

“Yes, Peter Pettigrew was our secret keeper, he was a Death Eater and he sold us out to his Dark Lord.”

“How did Harry survive?”

“I tricked Riddle into making a contract, in blood ritual, to take me and spare Harry. When he fired an Avada at Harry, magic destroyed him. My sacrifice powered the ritual.”

“Oh Lily, I am so proud,”

“Don’t be. When we got here I discovered I was three months pregnant. I sacrificed myself and my unborn daughter to save my son. My only relief is that her soul left the afterlife and she was born to a decent family.”

“Who, no. Don’t tell us. We should never know her identity, it would be wrong.”

“I would never tell, I will see her in a hundred years or so, she will have two sets of parent’s in the afterlife.”

Harry was sitting up in the bed watching the two old friends chatting. Andi noticed and passed him a small jar of a bright orange potion, with a look, telling him to drink it. He recognised the smell as a nutrient potion and downed it. Andromeda made hers actually taste acceptable.

“What do we do with you young man?” she wondered out loud.

“Take me to Gringotts if you can, when you can. I need to meet with my account manager, and get my parents will out of the vault. Then I can be free of Dumbledore.”

“I thought he was supposed to be the good guy?” Andi queried.

“He placed me at the Dursleys. Locked down the will. In his own way he is dark as they get,”

Lily was nodding. “The will has a list of preferred guardians for Harry, Sirius, Alice and Frank, You and Ted, Amelia, if none are available, Minerva McGonagall was to make a choice where he would be safe and loved. Petunia is listed as not being suitable. Albus is one of the witnesses to the will, he knew all of this.”

Andi shook her head. “Ok young man, you need a bath, and then some food. Lets go.” Harry wriggled out of the bed and carefully stood. He wobbled a little unused to his small body. Lily faded from view as he followed Andi to the family bathroom. The bath was already full and she whipped his clothes off and lifted him into the bath causing him to wince as his sore shoulder took some weight, she picked up a sponge and some bath soap and started to clean him down. She was right, he stank. He stood in the bath and went with it, thankfully his young body didn’t respond. Andromeda had been an attractive woman last time, here she was twenty five or so years younger, and beautiful, and she was cleaning his bits. He looked up and cleared his mind.

She rinsed him down with a shower attachment, and it dawned on Harry, how Andi was using mundane methods, not magical. Draining the bath, she dried him and wrapped him in a towel and guided him back to the room, dressing him in some of Tonks old clothes. Harry realised he was wearing girls knickers, but the option was being butt naked, so he kept his council. Before he was put in a shirt or jeans, she smoothed some cream into the scars on his back, and with a few wand strokes eased the stiffness in his shoulder.

Later fed and dressed, Andi popped a baseball cap down over his head, hiding his admittedly faded scar, and holding his hand side along apparated him to the steps of Gringotts, and they walked up and into the bank with a smile and a nod to the guards. They joined a short queue and after a brief wait were taken into the bank proper, where Harry’s identity was confirmed and his trust vault key was issued to him. He arranged for his mail to be sorted via Gringotts, for a fee. He asked for his property portfolio to be reviewed and the listed properties inspected. They got a copy of the will, and had a few copies made. Lastly Harry asked if the Goblins would take action against anyone who had placed a Horcrux in one of their vaults?

After some posturing, Harry told them where to look, and they left the bank and headed down the Alley to Ted’s Law offices, where with some help they prepared the various documents to remove Albus Dumbledores illegally enforced guardianship, one no longer recognised at Gringotts. They also needed to contact Sirius and Andromeda’s Grandfather in order to get Sirius out of Azkaban, before Malfoy gold could see him killed.

Two days later, dressed in new ‘Sunday Best’ clothes Harry and Andromeda headed through their floo to Blackmoore House, the Country Seat of the Black. Harry stepped out of the floo and waited for Andi to appear, once cleaned off, he made a small bow to Arcturus, Andromeda spoke, “Grandfather, may I introduce Harry James Potter, Heir to the House of Potter, and as Sirius has named him Heir, I believe the eventual Heir to your own House.”

“Andromeda, consider your status as an outcast revoked. I shall see to it, that you are reinstated, and your daughter, by close of play today. If any of you should have been sent away, it should have been Bellatrix for consorting with Voldemort.” He ushered the pair of them through to a small parlour. Harry kept quiet, he assumed Arcturus would be of the ‘seen and not heard’ school of child behaviour. They sat themselves down, an elf popped in and tea and cakes appeared. Harry let Andromeda pour him a cup and politely sipped his tea. His taste buds screamed for sugar, but he thought it best to keep quiet.

“Grandfather, to the reason, or one of the reasons for our visit today. Harry’s Godfather, your Heir has never had a trial. He was packed off to Azkaban without so much as being questioned. He is Harry’s Godfather by ritual, either a blood adoption to make him the third parent, or the ritual vows of loyalty and protection. He could never have betrayed Harry, James or Lily, without dropping dead on the spot. Harry’s great grandmother was Doreah, your wilder sister, he is family, and he needs his father. He is our family, and it is our duty to protect him. Dumbledore has pulled a few sly moves and had himself appointed guardian by the Wizengamot. He will claim it is to protect him from the Death Eaters that bought their way out of facing justice, if Lucius Malfoy were to use Narcissa’s connection to gain control of Harry, his inheritance would be forfeit along with his life, and the Black family would pass to his son Draco. If Lucius is responsible for Draco’s upringing he is not going to be a suitable heir. Lucius is a vain and proud man, but not actually that intelligent. He simply buys what he wants, assuming your fortune is headed his way.”

Arcturus sat and considered her words. “We must ensure Sirius is transferred back to the mainland, before we make the legal overtures for his release, to ensure, he does not ‘have an accident’ at any time during his transfer. I believe Crouch has been moved from his position at the DMLE, and replaced by Madame Bones. I believe she knew Sirius, was she not one of his training mentors?”

“I believe she was, Grandfather.”

“Good, let us arrange to meet with Madame Bones, perhaps we can bring her on board with our plans, if Sirius is indeed innocent, then we should suggest he be questioned under truth serum, that should satisfy her that it is indeed justice we seek and not to avoid it.” He picked up a biscuit, breaking it in half and paused, “Do we have any idea who was responsible for the crimes Sirius is accused of.”

Harry spoke quietly, “It was Peter Pettigrew, Sir. He was the fourth of my parents friends, he was the secret keeper of the fidelious, and he is a rat animagus, as Sirius is a Grimm. He framed my father, and slipped down the sewers as a rat. He currently hides with the Weasley family as a pet.” Arcturus stared at Harry. He looked up at Andromeda.

“Andromeda, this young man is remarkable articulate and well informed for a four year old, have you had his identity confirmed?”

“I have grandfather, he is more than he appears, but I do not believe him to be a deceiver. His core is almost completely mature, his power is already above magus, when he reaches his full potential, he will be off the charts as they say. The goblins offered to test, but I think the more important fact, is Harry is family. His intentions are honourable, and are to the benefit of, our House.” Andromeda looked at Harry, “I trust when he believes it is safe to do so he will reveal the truth to us.” She smiled, “You are certainly not a four year old mind, Harry. I wonder where or when you came from.”

Harry looked at them in turn, “two thousand and twelve. I was thirty two, married, and died saving a child from being sacrificed in a ritual to take her magic and use it to boost one of the acolytes. I believed I had died, which I think would have been my third death, I expected to meet my parents and all the friends I lost in the second blood war, instead I awoke in my hateful relatives understairs cupboard. I had a dislocated shoulder and some minor injuries. I apparated to Andromeda’s house, I knew the location, because my godson in that time, was her grandson. Sadly Nymphadora was a victim of Riddles resurrection, but little Teddy was an absolute delight, he too is, was, a metamorph.” Andi was staring at him open mouthed. “Tonks as she prefers to be called, was a great friend and was deeply mourned.”

“Who was the father.”

“I cannot tell you that, it almost certainly will not happen the same this time around. It would be wrong to reveal knowledge of the future.”

Four days later they returned to Blackmoore and met with Amelia, when she saw Harry toddle into the room, she looked puzzled. Harry climbed into the chair and gave her all the information he had regards, Sirius, Pettigrew, Remus, and Voldemort. When he told her of Tom Marvolo Riddle’s secret teenage identity, and the existence of a sixty foot plus basilisk under the school at Hogwarts she recoiled.

“You are either a fantastical story teller of epic proportions, or everything we are led to believe of Albus dumbledore is wrong.”

“Do you know Gellert Grindelwald is alive in his own fortress. Dumbledore didn’t kill his lover, he simply imprisoned him?”

“Can you prove any of this?”

“I don’t need to. Send someone to check. I can take you to meet the basilisk, I speak Parsel.” He looked at her for a minute. “Voldemort made horcruxes, I know where they all are. I can tell the Unspeakables, and they can toss them through the veil, although Rookwood is a Death Eater, if he is still there. You need to kill all the Death Eaters, otherwise this all starts again in ninety four.”

Amelia looked at him. “I need to verify enough of this so that we can act without tipping off our opponents, and then we need to carefully plan to take them out in the right order.”

“Cornelius Fudge is in Malfoy’s pocket, he is deeply corrupt and more interested in where his next bribe is coming from, than what is good or right for the country. Delores Umbridge, is a blood bigot, she tortured me as a pupil with a blood quill. She pursues a policy of oppressing anyone not a pureblood, yet her father is a near squib and her actual mother was a muggle. We stopped using those terms in my time, they are prejudicial.”

“Who can I trust?”

“Alastor Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Robards, Hammer, Arthur Weasley. They are all honest. You need them to swear an oath not to discuss any of it directly or indirectly with Albus Dumbledore. He knows most of this already and sits and covets the information. He placed me at my abusive relatives and never once checked up on me. He cannot be trusted and must be pushed into retirement or killed. His attitude of forgiveness allows the blood purists to regroup and come back again and again. They are a cancer on our society, and thousands died in camps because Albus Dumbledore begged for clemency. The wearing of a Dark Mark should be a one way ticket through the veil.”

“That is a strong opinion, young man.”

“I am thirty two years old Amelia, I went all the way through Hogwarts with Susan, and her best friend Hannah, I knew her husband. She fought with us at Hogwarts when we battled Voldemort and his MangyMorts, his Death Eaters, you need to mock both his name and their club name, a name that is feared has power. Forty good people died defending the school, and in many ways our way of life, and it took another ten years to see any positive changes. My best friend, the girl I should have married, she was mundane born, they tortured her, because of her parents, they were going to rape her again and again until I broke. These are your purebloods, Lucius Malfoy stood and watched, at least Narcissa turned against Riddle in the end.

The talking went on for some time, Harry’s body eventually gave out and he fell asleep. Thirty two year old mind, four year old body.

Sirius was transported to a low security facility, where he was questioned with veritaserum. Arthur stunned Percy’s pet rat and flooed over, Pettigrew told them everything. Amelia released Sirius into Arcturus’s care, and sent a press release. When Umbridge flew into her office, they bound her, questioned her under veritaserum and placed her in a holding cell. Fudge turned up demanding her release. Amelia fed him enough rope and then showed him the memory of Dolores confessing to two murders, to help her promotional prospects. When she showed Umbridges actual family tree, Fudge cut her loose. He signed an executive order allowing the DMLE to pursue all Marked Death Eaters, it didn’t exclude those already exonorated.

They cleaned house in the Ministry on day one, and then the Wizengamot members, and then as the truth serum induced confessions gave more names they rounded up almost all the rest, the few slipped abroad and were quietly hunted down over the next few years. Those in Azkaban were fed to the Dementors, who in turn were corralled and destroyed with fiendfyre.

Voldemort’s Horcruxes were collected and tossed through the veil, by the end of the month, Riddle had no followers, no funding and no support structure. A team from the Unspeakables was searching the Albanian forest of his shade. He was eventually caught and Harry went to the veil room and pushed the stunned snake through the arch. He then went to the aisle and retrieved the orb, now dark. He had a life to look forward to.

Harry was turning seven, physically at least. He wanted to reach out to Hermione, but talking to an eight year old girl as a thirty five year old man who knows everything about her, was wrong on so many levels to Harry. He saw her at a distance once, his instincts were immediately protective and paternal. He realised he needed to shed his maturity now he was relatively safe. His one worry was Albus, who had managed to cling on to Hogwarts, as the board all thought he was the second coming of Merlin.

He talked it over at length with Sirius, Remus, Arcturus, and Andromeda. They all decided together that his eighth birthday would be the day he stepped back. He spent months working on his memory palace. Layering his memories and his ablilities behind walls and layers. He set himself trigger actions that would instigate memory retrieval, or allow abilities. A lot of them revolved around Albus Dumbledore and a certain wand. Harry was fairly sure that he had somehow absorbed the Hallows, and had their abilities, talking to his parents, becoming invisible at will, his magic was silent, wandless and powerful.

Andi prepared him a potion that would trigger his memory cascade and he would awake an eight year old, excited about a new broom or a TV show, he left some easter eggs for himself. A week after his birthday he was awoken by a flash of light and a phoenix delivering a robed wizard into his bedroom. The wizard pulled his wand, “You are not Harry Potter.” Harry did not answer, he held out his hand and the wand flew into it, and dissolved as Albus looked on in shock.

The phoenix, was flitting from roost to roost in distress, flew to Harry when he held out an arm. It settled on his arm, “Hello,” he said, the bird trilled back, “Persephone, what a lovely name, welcome to our home.”

Albus was annoyed, he pulled a backup wand and levelled it at Harry, “No Albus. Your time is done.” Harry made a hand gesture and Albus collapsed.” The door opened and Sirius and Arcturus entered wands levelled. They levitated the stunned form of Dumbledore out of the room, and down into the building. Harry conjured a perch for his new familiar and once settled, the phoenix burst into flame. The small bald chick laid in its own ashes at the base of the perch, Harry knelt and poured in some magic to help the bird and its song filled the House. He climbed into bed and slept. Persephone was white with blue highlights once she regrew, and she loved to sit on Harry’s shoulder at any opportunity.

The next few years were spent in relative ease in Blackmoore, Harry insisted on visiting the public library at Crawley, at weekends where he sat and talked in whispers to a bright and fiercely intelligent young girl of his own age about Hobbits and Orcs and Nazgul’s. They also discussed quantum physics, particle accelerators and deep space telescopes. One day she turned up with Grolsch bottle caps in her trainer laces, and gushed about two boys called Matt and Luke. She was a Brossette. Harry was baffled, but won brownie points by bringing her a signed Wet Wet Wet tour book a few weeks later.

McGonagall was now Headmistress after Dumbledore’s arrest for attempted kidnapping, once she had visited Hermione, Harry asked her how many spells she had learned. She stopped dead and looked at him for what felt like an age. He casually created a flame on his finger tip, and then a light ball, which he handed to her. She had a very stern face, and Harry could not remove his grin. “Would you like to come to my house tomorrow and learn some more magic?” he said very softly. Hermione’s resolve broke.

“Of course, I do.” She folded her arms in a way Harry knew already, “You are a wizard then James?”

“I am, I am sorry I could not tell you, I was not allowed to. We can talk openly tomorrow, what time shall we pick you up, and do you need to bring a parent.” The kids swapped phone numbers and Hermione bundled herself away to her home and to talk to her mother. Her father played golf on a Sunday. In the end it was a long telephone talk between Andromeda and Hermione’s mother that finalised the day, and Harry and Sirius slipped across to collect the pair. Sirius side-along apparated Harry to the Grangers house and they rang the doorbell.

Hermione’s mother opened the door and welcomed them in once inside Harry held out his arm and Persephone joined them. “Oh my.” Hermione’s mother commented the bird landed on Harry’s shoulder.

“Take hold of a feather each,” Harry said. Once he was sure, they were flamed over to Blackmoore, and Harry led them thorough to the kitchen where they could get a snack.

“Is this a phoenix James?” Hermione asked.

“She is called Persephone, she is my familiar. I need to tell you my full name, I am Harry James Potter-Black. You will find me in your books as Harry Potter. The boy-who-lived. Another way to say the boy who lost his parents. I hope you understand why I use James, and not Harry. I hope you are not angry with me.”

Hermione stood for a moment, and then glomped him in a hug, “I understand, I read those stores about the boy, who, you know. I thought he must be really sad, I am glad you have a nice life, I am especially glad you befriended me. You are my only friend James, you don’t know how much I looked forward to meeting you in the library on a Saturday. It made my whole week bearable.” Harry hugged her back as tightly as she held him, he felt their magics touching and a warmth spread through his core.

He reached out and took her hand, as he did he saw the mark on her wrist. He stopped, “How long have you had that?” he asked her.

“It’s birthmark. My mother tried to have it lasered off, but it just comes back. I usually wear a wide watch strap or a wrist band over it,” she replied matter of fact. Harry pulled his sleeve back and showed her his own mark. “They are the same? What does that mean,” she was wide eyed with curiosity.

“I don’t know?” Harry replied looking at his friend. “I am not sure, it’s the mark of the Hallows, gifts from death to ancestors of mine according to legend. He traced each shape with his finger. “An unbeatable wand. A stone that allows you to talk to the dead, and a cloak of invisibility. My family had the cloak, for generations until Dumbledore stole it.”

“I thought he was supposed to be a great and good wizard, yet he tried to kidnap you a few years ago, I read that in one of my books.”

“He might have been great, if he didn’t use his power to constantly force people to bend to his will without considering their wishes.” I hate him, he is partially responsible for my parents death, for Sirius being imprisoned unjustly. He caused as much misery as Riddle.”