Getting Harry Back

A month after he sees Sirius killed, Harry is assaulted by mysterious dark forces, Muggle and magical. Harry knows they’re beyond his abilities alone, but where can he turn? And darkest and deadliest are those forces gathering within himself. In Chapter 1, “And Thou Profoundest Hell”, Voldemort is attacked from the inside, from inside himself, and he struggles to regain his transformations, starting with Tommy, thus re-starting the journey of how he became Voldemort.

A month after he sees Sirius killed, Harry is assaulted by mysterious dark forces, Muggle and magical. Harry knows they’re beyond his abilities alone, but where can he turn? And darkest and deadliest are those forces gathering within himself. In Chapter 2, “Morning: Strange Attack”, Harry is isolated at the Dursleys and unable to sleep. He struggles alone with his responsibility for ending the war and Sirius’s death. A strange and gruesome attack is made on Dudley, made inside Number Four, Privet Drive.

In “To Hang Love Slowly, Part 1”, Voldemort continues his transformations, this to regain his full powers after being weakened by an assault of love through his connection with Harry. Voldemort painstakingly relives his devastations from the toddler Tommy through the beginnings of the young Tom, tracing his abuses and abandonments and starting his career of magic and murder.

From the depths of the war, the prophesy, and feeling responsible for Sirius’s death, Harry begins his slow process of turnaround. Though he still doesn't know all he faces, he at least is no longer alone. Petunia reveals the hell of Harry’s upbringing, as well as the horrors that led her and Vernon to create that hell for Harry.

While still at the orphanage, Tom Riddle discovers his magical heritage and, at the same time, loses his only friend. Then, later at Hogwarts, Tom concludes his final renunciations of love, and makes his final, though unstable transformation to Lord Voldemort. In “To Hang Love Slowly, Part 2”, Tom resumes the love of friendship, and then falls in love, with his love securely returned. Yet friendship and love are challenged the forces of hate and bigotry unleashed during World War II and infecting the Wizarding World.

With Harry's opening up to her and Ron, even though Hermione sees the return of a Harry largely gone since the end of the Triwizard Tournament, she also sees the depths of Harry's shattering, of his weaknesses, of his defenselessness. And nothing, nothing could prepare her and Ron -- or Harry -- for the next "strange attack" at the Dursleys. Nothing could prepare the trio for "Harry's Fall".

Summoned by Hedwig, Ron and Hermione find a dying Harry. And saving him, they quickly discover, will take more than mediwizardry, even if that mediwizardry can arrive in time. Saving Harry, getting Harry back -- if they can -- will take all their magical powers, all their courage, and more. Saving Harry, though they don't realize it, will mean their own summoning of others -- many others -- a summoning they can only begin by leading the way.

Here, we get our clearest look yet at the Evil growing inside Harry, and the source of that Evil. This is an Evil that he shares with Voldemort, but that is not of Voldemort. Harry and his friends, and even Voldemort, are unaware of this Evil. Only Hedwig knows. And while Harry's support grows, how will he and his supporters battle something that they don't know?

Surprises! Good surprises! Doesn't Harry deserve some? And if we're going to get Harry back, doesn't he need some, too? Not to say that there's nothing sad in this chapter. With Harry's life, tragedy can intrude even into his best times. And there's also a spot of Harry courage. But mainly in this chapter, Harry gets some of what he's needed and deserved for a long, long time.

Belonging -- if Harry is to get back to himself, let alone to get back to others and to what he has to do, he must not only be loved, he must belong. Only through the magic of belonging, deeply and feelingly belonging, can he begin to recover all that's been stolen from him, and to heal all in him that's been twisted, corrupted and shattered. But will those around him see this in time?

While Harry has finally been rescued from the Dursleys and adopted into the Weasleys, his trials aren't over. As so often happens, the worst comes only when we're ready for it. Welcome to Chapter 11, "Memories". And what is that strange evil lurking deep within Harry's wound?

How does Nagini control Voldemort? With Voldemort, who's really in charge? Why did Peter betray his Marauder friends? What are these strange new feelings that Peter is having? And what happened that night when Voldemort's death curse failed to kill Harry? Read Chapter 12, "Himself", and find the answers.

Harry recovers from finding that red-eyed snake inside of him. A bit of his special magic awakens at last. He discovers, much to his surprise, that being in a family has both upsides & downsides. (He's coming back, he is, and as a real & healthy teen.) Hermione talks about the strange new relationship she & Ron have with Harry. And we learn about Dumbledore's secret advisor.

Many secrets emerge, and we see more peeking out from their hiding places. Harry has grave questions for Dumbledore, questions of snakes & safety & Ancient Magic. What's behind Harry's shelter, which has been so crucial in keeping him sane during those terrible years with the Dursleys? How is Snape involved with Harry? And what other strange magics are converging on Harry, and what are their intentions? Read Chapter 14, "Harry's Shelter", and find out.

Harry learns more about his first parents, and he takes some major steps in growing up, in "getting back". Neville & his father, Frank, move closer to figuring out the Harry-connection that has brought Neville & his parents almost within each other's grasp. We learn more of Molly's upbringing & her healing. And we come face-to-face with the miraculous & awful magic that is werewolfery. Read Chapter 15, "Of Music, Giants and Finally Becoming Sixteen".

Surprises, even shocks abound during the conclusion of Harry's bonding with his new family, the Weasleys, leaving him changed forever. And at the end, Harry is face-to-face with the deadliest peril he's ever known. Read Chapter 17: Love, Sex, Girls and Twins.

The life-and-death battle with the Dementor-snake leaves Harry, Ron and their family exhausted and shaken. Worse, it awakens a strange and deadly power within Ron, a power which threatens Ron's destruction, and Harry's. What can be done with the Dementor-snake within Harry, which threatens his very soul? And who, or what, is that strange character -- canon, yet new to fanon -- with so much wisdom and vast magic and such a keen interest in Harry?

More secrets of Harry's life are revealed to him, as his family grows from an entirely unexpected quarter. And with this new family member, Harry learns more not only about who he is, but who he can be. Finally, Snape struggles with his calling, and makes a decision that could throw Harry and Ron into survival-combat with Ron's strange and vast new magic.

Still exhausted and weakened from that Dementor-snake within him, Harry discovers a new threat -- Snape and Snape's hate, lodged deep inside of him and poised to weaken him just when he's most vulnerable. While Harry's family, and so his power has grown, will it be enough to save him, and to save Ron, especially from that strange volcanic magic poised to erupt? Read Chapter 19, "Only Severus".

Wild Magic! Yes! We finally get to know not only about Ron's strange, explosive magic, but also about Harry's magic -- so powerful, yet so different. And we get a peek at Dumbledore's understanding of that dark.... Well, that dark Something, actually Somethings lurking, prowling in Harry's wound. And those Somethings have deadly plans ahead, especially for Ron. Wild Magic!

In Chapter 21, "Cedric", we get a nocturnal peek at Hagrid and the Burrow. Harry completes his family in a most unexpected way. And we see more deeply into Harry -- into his turmoil, his expectations of horror, his devastated sense of himself -- all this his legacy from the Dursleys. It's a legacy that stubbornly refuses quick or easy healing, and one that creates waves of pain for his entire family. But by sharing his legacy, we see that Harry's family also starts to heal it, to heal Harry, to get Harry back, this through their understanding and love.

Harry discovers that he has not only a prophesy, but also a calling -- a calling to Godric's Hollow. As Dumbledore says, "Like the future from whence it comes, a calling is closer to wild magic, with its unpredictable mix of light and dark. It leads us to unforeseeable actions and ends. But we are committed, regardless of its costs." Snape learns how complex, and annoying, a calling can be. And we get a peek into the secret world of the house-elves.

Something's Up. Dark forces are plotting, this just before Harry visits his parents' home at Godric's Hollow. We see deeply into their complex, twisted and sad world. Violence, sex, the blatant enjoyment of terror & cruelty -- that's all there. But also there, in its cramped and tortured way, is.... Well, read Chapter 23 and find out.

Harry and his family go to Godric's Hollow to visit his ruined home. But they find, there, much more than they expect, maybe even more than they can handle. We learn what happens to the Dursleys. Hagrid has a most unusual conversation, one going beyond the veil. And the dark, mysterious Green Eyes appears to finally get what he wants.

After the attack by Death Eaters at Godric's Hollow, Harry is alone, helpless and under attack again, this time by the Dementor-snake. What's happened to Ron, also a victim of the attack? Is he dead? And if so, who can come to Harry's aid? Reach Chapter 25, "Wild Dreams".