Daniel Potter and the Fight for Freedom

Prologue: The Saga Begins

"I'm home, Hermione! Hermione, where are you at?" shouted Ron Weasley.

"I'm here, Ron," Hermione said, coming out of the kitchen to greet him. "Don't fret."

"Well," Ron said defensively, giving his wife a hug. "You can never be too careful these days."

"I know," Hermione said. "What happened today?"

"More Muggle deaths," Ron explained, shaking his head. "That's more that 75 this week." He flopped back on the couch, since becoming an Auror he almost regretted doing it. Defying Voldemort meant putting himself and, more importantly, his family in danger.

"How many today?" Hermione asked, sitting down next to him. It was just like her, always eager for information, of course, Ron reminded himself, who wouldn't be.

"Sixteen," he muttered grudgingly.

"Anyone--" Hermione began, but Ron cut her off.

"Your parents are still okay," he informed her. "I think since they know about our world they have a better chance for survival than most Muggles."

"I figured that," Hermione reminded him. "But, like you said, one can never be too careful."

"Did Ginny come over today?" Ron asked, now eager for a change of subject.

"Yes," Hermione said, obviously not aware of his sudden change of topic. "With Daniel."

"Oh," Ron said. "Yeah." Ron wasn't very keen on that subject either; he wasn't even sure why he brought it up. Since his best friend died in their seventh and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry he didn't like talking about Harry's son, he didn't even like talking about Ginny anymore.

"You mustn't still blame yourself," Hermione said, as though reading his mind. "It wasn't your fault."

"How so?" Ron asked. "If I hadn't been so damn scared I could've..."

"What?" Hermione asked, her voice rising. "Thrown yourself at Voldemort, get yourself killed, let Harry grieve for two seconds, and then get killed himself? You couldn't have done anything that would have prevented it. You weren't strong enough to fight off Voldemort, how was it your fault?"

"I should've done something..." he muttered. Since that day he kept replaying it all in his head. He knew he wasn't the only one who felt terrible about it.

Sirius Black, Harry's godfather would have done anything to get back that day. Sirius was now prone to breakdowns and began beating inanimate objects when he was angry, then he'd turn away, his eyes shining and say he was fine. He, too, blamed himself. However, unlike Ron, he was strong enough to fight and could've at least distracted Voldemort with a good chance he wouldn't have been killed. Ron didn't feel it was Sirius' fault at all, he knew Sirius had been busy with another Death Eater, his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Ron," Hermione broke his chain of thought. "Please don't do this again, there isn't much we can do anymore. All we can do is keep his memory alive. We can't change what happened." She paused, Ron figured she was waiting for him to say something.

"You're right..." he muttered, now defeated. "I just wish I could, then things would be different now."

"Don't we all?" Hermione asked. "The important thing you know is that you can't." She had settled the matter; they were done with that subject. "You should rest," she suddenly said. "You look terrible."

"Thanks," Ron muttered sarcastically. "I'm actually more hungry than anything. When's dinner going to be ready?"

"As soon as I finish making it," she said, getting up. "I'll call you when it's ready."

"Thanks 'Mione," he said, stifling a yawn. He began to walk up the stairs, but he suddenly thought of something and came back down. He walked to Hermione and pulled her into a kiss. "You know I love you right?" he asked her.

"Always," she said, then she smiled. "And I love you too." He gave her another kiss and walked upstairs to their bedroom.

Once upstairs he plopped himself down on the bed. Why did he ask about Ginny? They'd been having a lot of fights lately. For some reason he was beginning to feel like Sirius did back in their fifth year, he was Dan's uncle, and he knew Dan wasn't Harry, but when he looked at him Ron felt like he had his best friend back with him, safe and sound.

Dan... he thought. Dan had been born just two days before Harry's birthday. He remembered a prophecy Harry had once told him about... what was it? He closed his eyes, trying to remember... He then realized how tired he was. He didn't hear Hermione call him from the kitchen, he didn't even hear her come in and leave shortly after. Then, just as he was drifting off to sleep, he remembered.

As Ron thought those words he realized that there might never be hope in the world, though with Dan... there might still be a little bit after all...

And so the saga begins.

~*~

Chapter 1: An Explanation

Daniel Potter slowly opened his eyes as the bright rays of the sun poured into his room. He stretched, blinked, and slowly looked around towards the source. His mother, Ginny, had pulled back his curtains and was straightening up the items on his dresser. She turned around as he groaned and flopped back down to rest again.

"Did I wake you?" she asked. He groaned again, realizing his attempts to block out the sun were futile and sat up.

"Yeah," he said, rubbing his eyes.

"Sorry," she said. "But it's nearly eleven o'clock, you should be up by now anyway."

"Mm..." he groaned again. His mother smiled warmly, much like his grandmother did.

"I have food in the kitchen," she stated. "If you want it."

"Mkay," he said, sleepily. She smiled again and left the room. Daniel got up and walked over to his dresser to find something to wear other than his pajamas. He pulled out a shirt that had once been his father's and studied it. It was worn down and it had a small rip in the sleeve.

His father... he had never known his father. He was told that he was a great man, but he didn't really know. He knew that his father had died just before he was born, but he was never told how. All he knew was that he had done something that his mother would talk about, then stop when she broke down in tears. His aunt (also mother's best friend), Hermione, was the same way, and his uncle, Ron, didn't like talking about him much at all. So what had he done that was so great?

Daniel threw the shirt aside and picked a newer one he'd gotten a week ago for his eleventh birthday and grabbed a pair of jeans. He threw the clothes on and walked downstairs. His mother was on the phone (probably with Hermione) and saying something about the Ministry. Daniel didn't really care much for politics so he sat in a chair and began to eat a piece of toast.

"Oh," his mother said, turning around, she had gotten off the phone. "You've come down I see."

"Yeah," he said. "Hey mom?"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"When am I going to get my school stuff?" This question caught his mother by surprise.

"Well... um..." she was at a loss for words and Daniel couldn't figure out why.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, now concerned. Had the school burned down or something?

"You haven't gotten your school supply list yet," she said. "And you're going to go to a new school this year." Now it was Daniel's turn to be surprised.

"Why?" he asked. "What's happened?"

"Nothing's happened," she stated. "But--" she hesitated. "You have to get, um, special training for your, uh, abilities."

"What?" Daniel was utterly confused now. He didn't understand what she meant by 'abilities'.

"You're not an ordinary boy, Daniel," she said. Daniel could tell she had rehearsed this with herself. "You have special powers that not very many people know about."

"Well," he said, now very interested, this special powers thing sounded really cool. "What are they?"

"You're a wizard." Those words came out of his mother's mouth with difficulty.

"I'm a--"

"Wizard," she repeated. "Yes, your father was one, and I'm a witch. You'll be getting your supply list any day now and we can go get you your books and your wand and--"

"A wand?" Daniel asked amazed. "Cool! Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I'm getting to that," she explained, wringing her hands together. "I wanted to protect you."

"Protect me?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "From what?"

"An evil wizard," she explained. "The one who killed your father." Those were the words that didn't go over well. Daniel felt his eyes grow big and he opened and closed his mouth several times before he was able to get the words out.

"My father was... murdered?" he asked quietly. "By some evil dark wizard guy?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. He could see tears forming in her eyes.

"But why would he be after me?"

"You're the successor to the only person who could have ever defeated him," she said, warily. "He's at risk because if you become strong enough you could possibly take on your father's abilities and kill him."

"But I don't want to kill anyone," Daniel explained.

"I know," his mother said. "But he knows that if you become strong enough you can, possibly to avenge your father." Daniel now felt very upset, so this evil guy was the reason he never knew his father and now he, Daniel, was at risk, even though he didn't do anything.

"So," he gulped. "He wants to kill me?"

"We don't know for sure," his mother explained quickly. "But it will probably be that way when he finds that you exist."

"Wait," Daniel said. "He doesn't know I exist? Then why am I--"

"The reason he doesn't know you exist is because I've cut myself off from any contact with that world since you were born," she said, rubbing her temples, clearly irritated. "I've been keeping up with his movements thorough Hermione, who is also a witch," she finished, seeing Daniel open his mouth to speak again.

"Well, what about Uncle Ron and Sirius and--"

"Their all wizards," she said. "The only people you know who aren't are the people from your school." Daniel's head was beginning to pound, so he was the only one who didn't know that he was a wizard, it all seemed very confusing. It was a very confusing morning from the start.

"So," he began, trying to get all his facts straight. "I'm a wizard, and almost everyone else I know is too, this dark wizard is after me because I'm the heir to the only person who could have ever defeated him, and I'm going to go to some magical school?"

"Yes," his mother said, nodding.

"Can I know the name of this school?" he asked. "And the dark wizard?"

"Well, the school is called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," she began.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Daniel repeated. "Got it... and the dark wizard is...?"

"I don't like saying his name," she said shortly.

"But can you just tell me?" he asked. "Just once?" Daniel was really curious, who was the guy who killed his father?

"I don't..."

"Please, mum?" Daniel pleaded; he really wanted to know, what was wrong with a name anyway?

"Oh, I guess," she said. "But only once... Voldemort." She shuddered.

"Volde--"

"Don't say it Daniel," she pleaded with him. "I don't like hearing it."

"What's wrong with it?" he asked. "'What's in a name?' Remember, like from Romeo and Juliet." She smiled.

"It just strikes fear into the hearts of all wizards and witches, except for Albus Dumbledore," she added as an afterthought.

"Who--"

"He's the headmaster of Hogwarts," she informed him. "He's quite old, but very wise, he helped your father on many occasions."

"Okay," Daniel said, his head still spinning. Being introduced to so many new things within the time of a half an hour was making him dizzy. "Is there anything else I should know about this school?"

"Yes," she said. "Too much to tell you today, but I'll give you the basics. There are four houses that you can be sorted into. Gryffindor, that was the house your father and I were in, for the brave. Ravenclaw, for the wise. Hufflepuff, for the loyal, and Slytherin," a scowl passed over her face as she said that. "For the cunning and ambitious."

"What's wrong with these Slytherin people?" he asked, curiously.

"They'll do anything to meet their ends," she explained. "I'm not saying they're all bad, but that's definitely a lot that you would want to stay away from, You-Know-Who--"

"Is that Volde--"

"Yes," she said quickly. "He was in that house, as were many of his followers."

"Why do people follow him if he's evil?" Daniel asked.

"Because he's powerful," she said, shutting her eyes. "He can give them what they want, or so they're led to believe. He has been known to wipe out entire families in two seconds, with a single curse. Many of them just want him to spare them or their families."

"Oh," Daniel said, looking down. "Gee, I don't think I like them already."

"Not all Slytherins are bad," she told him again hurriedly. "Professor Snape, the head of the Slytherin House has been working to get rid of You-Know-Who, but there are many people in that house already with families who work with the Dark Lord. I don't want you getting yourself mixed up with that crowd."

"Oh," he said. "Okay, I won't go into Slytherin then."

"It's not that easy," she said. "You have to be sorted by your qualities, like I told you each house was like. I'm hoping you'll get into Gryffindor, but any other house than Slytherin will suit me just fine."

"Ah," now Daniel was concerned. What if he got into Slytherin? Would his mother disown him? Would he be sent away? No, she wouldn't do that, she loved him too much. He was going through so many emotions that day, and he wasn't sure if he was done yet. "So, is there anything else?"

"Your classes will be much different," she stated. "You will begin learning Transfiguration, magically changing things into another, Charms, which should be self-evident, Potions, working with concoctions and different ways to mix it, History of Magic, Astronomy, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, learning to defend yourself against dark creatures and wizards."

"If I take all of that I'll be able to stand up to this Volde-- Dark Lord," he finished.

"No, you won't Daniel," she said. "You'll need special lessons if you want to do that. Your father had nearly completed seven years of all of that and he still was killed in a duel."

"Duel?" Daniel repeated. "Wizards have duels?"

"Yes," she said, now obviously regretting she had said anything about it. "With wands and magic, but you won't be able to so much as scrape your enemy yet, you haven't learned anything."

"Okay," he said, all too readily. "Are there any sports?"

"Oh," she said. "Of course, the most popular sport in the wizarding world, Quidditch." These words obviously didn't have the effect that she wanted it to, Daniel, frowned and tried repeating what she said. She sighed and elaborated. "Quidditch is a sport played entirely on a broomstick. There are seven players on a team and four balls. The Chasers handle a Quaffle, a red, um, soccer ball sized one that they try to get into one of three large hoops on the other team's side of the field. The Keeper, Ron played that, defended the hoops by trying to keep the Quaffle out of them. The Beaters handle the Bludgers, black balls that fly at you and try to knock you off your broom. The Seeker has the most important job of all, the Seeker has to catch the Golden Snitch, which is a golden ball the size of a walnut and is worth one hundred and fifty points. Your dad was a Seeker, an excellent one, I might add."

Daniel had to wait a moment to let this all sink in. This sounded like a very interesting sport, though really dangerous. Four balls... seven players...

"All right," he said, unsure. "I think I've got it."

"Good," she said. "As soon as your school list arrives we'll go to Diagon Alley and get your stuff."

"Diagon--"

"Oh, yes," she said. "That's right. Diagon Alley is where you buy all of your supplies for school. It has lots of things that aren't for school as well. It might be fitting to get you an owl so we can communicate."

"An owl?" Daniel asked, his eyes going wide. "For communicating? Why not just use the telephone?"

"Wizards don't use any electrical items," she explained. "They're based on all magic, they work by candlelight and they don't have computers, televisions, or telephones."

"That's weird," Daniel said, scrunching up his nose.

"Maybe to you," his mother smiled. "But to a wizard all of those items are weird. It took me a while to get used to it, me coming from an entire wizarding family."

"Wow," Daniel muttered after letting out a low whistle. "So all of my uncles, and grandparents, and your friends are magical?" She nodded. He went silent then, picking up another piece of toast, that had gone cold, and eating it. After hearing all of that dread began to settle into him. He began thinking about that Dark Lord again, and why he was at risk if he didn't even know anything yet. All he knew at the moment was that it was going to be a very long day.