Young Again: The Rewrite

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Chapter Four: Drawing Out the Plans

by Taliath

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Cats will always land on their feet, thought Minerva, amused, as she watched Madam Pomfrey scurry around her. And we have nine lives, as well. "Poppy, I'm fine. You healed my arm, right? You need not worry yourself so."

"Oh, Minerva," said the nurse. "You're not quite as young as you once were, you know." Minerva's eyes twitched, and the nurse smiled apologetically, but briskly. "Now, are you sure you'll be fine?"

Such a loaded question, Minerva thought to herself. No, I will not be. This was not supposed to happen. Events are outpacing Harry and I, and I fear that if we cannot catch up, we will all of us be buried under. Outwardly, she only smiled. "Of course, Poppy. Of course."

Madam Pomfrey sighed. "I suppose I should go check on Lily. She still hasn't waken yet, you know. I fear her concussion was quite serious, indeed. I do not understand why the Headmaster refuses to allow her to get proper attention from St. Mungo's."

"You-Know-Who did that to her," replied Minerva, while her thoughts raced, "it is entirely possible he may return to finish the job. You know this, Poppy."

"Yes," said the nurse with a sigh. "I suppose I do. But still, Minerva, Lily isn't faring well at all. In fact, I believe her head trauma is serious enough to warrant amnesia!"

Harry, so many things have gone wrong. Frank Longbottom has lost his mind, his wife is nearly broken with grief. Lily lies comatose, and she may have amnesia if ever she wakes. "Has there been any word of Remus, yet?"

Poppy shook her head in frustration. "No, there's been no word. None at all. I fear the worst, Minerva, he was in such terrible shape when you brought him in!"

I have never had much skill in Healing, yet I should have tried to stop Remus' bleeding. Perhaps he would be faring better now, if I had not foolishly gone charging ahead for Lord Voldemort. Minerva sighed mentally. Then again, had she wasted another moment, she would not have been in time to catch that Killing Curse. So many choices, so many possibilities--none of them pleasant. "Is James still with Lily?"

Madam Pomfrey tsked irritably in answer. "Yes, the foolish boy. And he's got his son with him--poor thing, probably hasn't even been fed lunch yet." Harry, oh Harry. How are you faring? The nurse turned towards Minerva's hearth, suddenly. "I'd really better get back, Minerva, if you're all right? If I'm gone any longer, I think Black will run off."

I must speak to Harry. "Actually, Poppy," said Minerva, rising from her bed. "I'll go with you, I think. I have some words to exchange with Sirius, and the sooner the better." Stupid boy, Sirius. He is far too arrogant. It would have gotten him killed today, had I not landed right when I did. Minerva nearly snorted derisively. What kind of fool started taunting your opponent in the middle of a duel? Fools. Only stupid fools.

"Come, Poppy. Let us go quickly," said Minerva, handing the nurse some Floo powder.

Hopefully I'll be able to get Harry away from James. Yes, a discussion with him about our future plans has been long overdue.

---

Harry worried. His mother wasn't waking up. His father looked lost. Sirius was injured. Remus rushed away to St. Mungo's by others.

And Lord Voldemort remembered.

I just can't believe it. I just can't. He seriously just could not handle this. It was going to work out. I was going to take him down early, destroy his Horcruxes without him knowing. He didn't know what to do anymore. It was supposed to be quick and easy. He was supposed to save lives, to change the future for the better. At least Minerva is all right.

But Harry just couldn't focus on anything else. How did he do it? How?

"Sirius Black, I'm surprised you're still here," said Madam Pomfrey as the fire in the infirmary hearth roared.

Again the flame rose up, and out from it stepped Minerva. I have to tell her. She doesn't know.

"Mr. Black, I see you are all right," said Minerva in greeting, and for some odd reason Sirius didn't look very happy to see her. In fact, he looked rather abashed and embarrassed. I wonder what that's about? "Perhaps you will remember, now that you've been injured, that taunting your enemy in the midst of a duel is the most reckless and foolish thing you can do?" Sirius taunted someone during a duel, again? He was killed the last time he did that! Harry thought to himself angrily.

"Of course, Professor," said Sirius reluctantly.

"Good," said Minerva sternly. "Arrogance will get you no where, Mr. Black, and it may, in fact, get you killed some day." Her eyes met Harry's for an instant, and he knew she was being harsh on purpose. We must get the point across now, she said with her eyes, and Harry understood. Yeah, it will get him killed if he doesn't fix that.

Harry watched from the bed as Madam Pomfrey approached, and she smiled gently at him, but suddenly turned to glare at his father. "Mr. Potter, have you fed the child, yet? He is looking rather pale, I must say. I know your wife is in a very serious condition, but you mustn't let that affect your care for your son!"

"Madam Pomfrey, is she going to be all right?" asked James, a hint of desperation in his voice. "You didn't tell me when I asked before--please, tell me now. What's going on? Will she be all right?"

Please, don't let it be anything bad. Harry didn't think he could bear losing his parents again, losing a mother again. The nurse seemed to hesitate for a second, before responding, "She hit her head very hard, Mr. Potter, and it is hard to say what will happen. It is entirely possible that she may have amnesia due to her concussion, or perhaps even damaged a little mentally."

James slumped in his chair, the look of shock and defeat clearly written on his face. Suddenly anger and hatred rippled across, and Harry watched in surprise as his father's rage invoked Accidental Magic--the windows above shattered with a strangely musical tune, though one of frenzy and chaos. "Pettigrew," he snapped in anger. "He did this!"

"Mr. Potter!" cried Madam Pomfrey, her eyes wide with shock.

Pettigrew? Wormtail? He did what? What does he have to do with anything?

"James, James," said Minerva, grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at her. "Look at me. Look at me. Calm down. Deep breaths. Calm down, Mr. Potter. You are damaging the infirmary, and may hurt your Lily and Harry. Now calm down."

James seemed to lose his anger all at once, and his head dropped in defeat. "I'm sorry, Professor. I-I'm sorry." He took a look around the infirmary, eyes widening at the damage, and dropped his head again. "I-I'll fix it up later."

Minerva looked sternly at him, then nodded. "You must watch your temper, Mr. Potter. Now is not the time to lose control. However," she waved her wand and all the broken pieces flew together, the windows repairing quickly, "there is no need for sharp pieces of glass to be left lying around to injure others." She paused, and asked the very question Harry wanted answered. "You mentioned Pettigrew--I assume you meant Peter Pettigrew? What of him?" She asked the last urgently, focusing on James.

"He was there. At Godric's Hollow," said James, his face down in his hands. "I was dueling him down in the basement."

"Indeed, Mr. Potter," said Minerva, and Harry saw her slightly wide eyes staring down at his father. Wormtail! He was there? I thought Minerva said Snape had him placed in a dungeon room somewhere? "This explains so much.... Severus," Harry heard her mutter to herself, and felt only confusion.

Sirius leaned over his bed at them, talking over Minerva's muttering. "Wait, Prongs, are you saying that it was Peter who told Voldemort we'd be there?" Madam Pomfrey jumped when Sirius named the Dark Lord, as though shocked, but everyone ignored her.

"Yeah," said James with a sigh. "Apparently he did. At least, he was there."

"You were dueling with him, Mr. Potter? Tell me exactly what happened." Minerva conjured a comfortable seat in front of James, and Harry looked on with interest. It seems the rat somehow escaped. He told Voldemort. He's responsible for doing this. He's responsible.

"I... I was just locking up my family vault and going up to the basement when he shot a spell at me--I avoided it, and we spoke a bit." James shook his head. "He wasn't acting right--as though he were--" He suddenly looked up, his eyes wide with realization. "He was polyjuiced!"

"Polyjuiced?" asked Madam Pomfrey, and Harry jumped. He had forgotten she was still there.

"He must have been," said James quickly, "he must have been! He was way too fast when we dueled. And he managed to steal the Potter ring from me--"

"What?"

James held up his right hand, and revealed his ring-finger, which looked very blistered and bruised, an angry red that made Madam Pomfrey turn into an enraged nurse within an instant ("And you never told me! Of all the stupid, idiotic--").

Harry could only agree with her. My dad can be an idiot sometimes. I never noticed that the ring was missing. So Voldemort now has the Potter signet ring. This nightmare is just going to get worse, isn't it?

"So," said Minerva, softly, but in Harry's direction. "So, we have a Death Eater polyjuiced to look like Wormtail, the Potter signet ring missing, and Severus missing as well."

Snape is missing? Why is everything getting out of control?

"James, have you given Harry his lunch, yet?" asked Minerva suddenly, cutting into the nurse's tirade as Madam Pomfrey healed his finger, while checking the rest of him for other injuries. Minerva's speculative mood vanished like smoke, returning once more to the stern, brisk mode that Harry knew she most preferred, as she stood. "Well, Mr. Potter?"

"No, no, I haven't yet," said James miserably. "I'll do it right now."

"You most certainly will not," snapped Madam Pomfrey. "You will stay right where you are until I've healed every injury you've been a fool not to tell me about."

"Wonderful," said Minerva. "I shall take him, if you don't mind, Mr. Potter. I know you have a lot on your hands, and I find that I am quite free this afternoon." Harry felt her gently lift him up without waiting for a response. "Poppy, I'll be back with him soon. Mr. Potter, you know where my office is." She nodded to them, then turned with Harry in her arms, and left.

It seems Minerva wants to talk to me. Good. That'll make things easier.

For some odd reason, however, as Harry was snuggled within Minerva's arms, he felt a drowsiness come over him, and a spectacular yawn threaten to rip his mouth apart.

---

Minerva glared sternly as various students suddenly stopped when they saw her holding Harry, with wide eyes staring at the pair of them, and inwardly rolled her eyes. Probably surprised I'm holding a baby in my arms. Children these days can be so innocent, and naïve, at times. She conveniently forgot that she, too, had once been such a student, and had at times done the exact same thing when she was their age.

It took only a short walk to get to her office, and a quick jab of her wand to conjure a crib. Gently placing Harry inside of it, she activated her silencing wards. "Harry, we are safe to talk now."

"Minervwa," said Harry, and Minerva's lips twitched into a smile when he visibly winced at his mangled pronunciation, and with amusement listened as he continued--grimly. "We're in twouble. Voldemorth rwemembers the future."

The smile disappeared from her face. Minerva's thoughts were brought to a standstill. Her mind became blank.

Voldemort remembers. The future

Minerva let out a shuddered gasp, two seconds later. I need to sit down. It would have been nice if Harry asked me to sit down first. That boy, frequently forgets his manners, sometimes. Perhaps this time around James and Lily will be able to--

Stop! Minerva forced herself to stop rambling, to focus on the matter at hand. Her old plush chair would do, thought Minerva, as she quickly moved over to sit. As she leaned back into the wonderful cushioning, she realized that it had been nearly two years since she had sat in this chair. It's nice to be back. All of my old things right where they used to be, and the chair doesn't have that rip in it as it did in the future. I wonder if the old charms are still--

Again Minerva had to stop herself; she was rambling.

He remembers the future.

She felt Harry's eyes burning intensely at her, and she looked up to meet them. Oh dear. Oh, curse Slytherin, this is bad. Oh, light. "How?" she croaked at last, asking the very first question that popped into her mind.

The baby shook his head as he answered, "I don' know. He musth have been caughth up in our sthpell."

She shook her head, realizing that Harry didn't get what she was asking. Besides, that's impossible. I specified that spell to just the two of us. "No, I meant, how do you know he remembers?"

"He twied to cursth me," said Harry, his mouth struggling to form the words. Then suddenly he let out an angry sigh, "Minervwa, can you justh casth the Mooth-Sthpeah?"

Minerva narrowed her eyes. Mooth-Sptheah? Then her eyes lit with understanding. Ah, the Mute-Speak. Of course. I should have thought of this first. She quickly pointed her wand at Harry. "Sententia Clamor."

Yes, thought Minerva sadly, he would remember this well. It had been the only way Ronald was be able to communicate after his tongue had been removed forcibly by Death Eaters. Yes, Hermione's ingenuity has certainly outdone itself with the creation this spell.

She nearly smiled as the baby before her scrunched up his face in a rather cute way, and suddenly heard Harry speak into her mind a moment later--his thought-voice was a much more matured, deeper voice than that of his baby-body's. It was the voice of an eighteen year old male, who had already undergone puberty. And for some odd reason, Minerva felt a strange relief flow over her at hearing the calm voice of Harry Potter once more. "That's much better, Minerva. Thank you! You've no idea how much it annoyed me to try to talk with a baby's mouth--and the effort it takes! A nightmare, I tell you."

"I'm glad, Harry," said Minerva out loud. This will be strange, she thought to herself. How weird must we look from an outsider's point of view? An adult talking to a seemingly silent baby. "Now, tell me, what happened once the Dark Lord got rid of me?" She frowned, quite annoyed by the fact that she had been blown away by Voldemort, dismissed, as though she were nothing but an obstacle, and a measly one at that. "How do you know he remembers?"

And so Harry told her, in a much more eloquent manner through his thought-speak, and Minerva felt more and more panicked as she listened. When she heard him tell of his outburst in front of his mother, she had frowned--but then had to agree with Harry when he had vehemently defended himself that, yes, she would have most likely done the same thing had she been in his position.

He went on, and Minerva could do nothing but sit perfectly still. The lightning scar? The Boy Who Lived? He said those things? This was bad. Worse than bad. This was catastrophic. And he knows Harry is back from the future.

"Did your scar hurt?"

"No, actually, it didn't!"

Finally, when Harry was finished speaking, there was a small pause, and Minerva knew he was waiting for her to comprehend everything he had just told her. Indeed, it was as though an explosion spell had just wreaked havoc among her thoughts, and she felt grateful that Harry allowed her a few moments just to get her thoughts under control.

"I don't think he knows about you, though, Minerva. He definitely knows I'm back, but you're still an element of surprise."

"Indeed," Minerva breathed. She could already feel a headache building. "But how much does he remember, Harry? That is our most crucial question. If he remembered everything, he would have known it was me, from the future, that he faced. If he remembered everything, I very much doubt he would have attacked this morning."

"I don't know either. Definitely not everything. Yeah, if he did, I think he would have killed me, too. There's no way he would have left me to live. And he seemed very confused."

"Yes, his confusion is most surprising," said Minerva, nodding in agreement. "And why did he suddenly remember at that point, why not some other time? What triggered his future memories to come to the surface?"

"Do you think, that, er, maybe it was when I rejected him from my mind that jogged his memories?"

She frowned in deep thought. "That is something to look into. Yes, it is very coincidental for him to have suddenly recalled immediately after he struck your mind with Legilimency--too coincidental for us to dismiss."

There was another moment of silence, as both of them were lost in their thoughts. Minerva jumped slightly when Harry spoke again, breaking the stillness. "What was that about Snape? You mentioned him earlier down in the--"

"Of course, Severus!" said Minerva, jumping up from her seat to the hearth. "I must quickly check on him, Harry. He was missing this morning, and if what James says is true, then I fear he may have been captured by Wormtail, and with Lord Voldemort at this present moment."

"Wait, Minerva, what're you doing? And what about Wormtail? That Wormtail was at the battle? But dad said he was polyjuiced? You'll have to explain this more; I'm getting awfully confused here."

"One moment, Harry," said Minerva, "this needs to be done quickly. Do you remember where the Marauders' Map is located at this present moment? Is it with your parents?"

Harry shook his head, confusion very apparent. "No, I think Fred and George mentioned it being with Filch, I think he confiscated it from my dad and the Marauders before they graduated."

Minerva quickly lit a flame in her hearth, and threw in some Floo powder. "Argus Filch," she said, and waited impatiently for a response. Oh, Severus, please tell me you are all right.

"Who is it?" barked a voice from the flames.

"Argus, this is Professor McGonagall," spoke Minerva into the fire. "I was wondering if you could find for me a piece of old parchment that you confiscated from James Potter, Sirius Black, and their friends."

"Professor McGonagall, of course! Once moment," came the rough voice of the Hogwarts caretaker. She heard the sounds of Filch searching through the desks and boxes, before he yelled, "Found it! I'll bring it up to your office right away, Professor."

"No, Argus, allow me," said Minerva. "I'll reach through the Floo." Kneeling down before the green flames, Minerva reached forward blindly, and felt a piece of parchment shoved into her hands. "Thank you, Argus. Good day."

"You too, Professor," said Filch. She closed the Floo connection.

"Now, Harry, what were the words, again?" She turned around when Harry didn't respond, and sighed when she saw his sleeping form. Yes, he is still a child, both mentally and physically. If he were normal, he would but be a year out of Hogwarts. Fate has been most terrible on him.

It took Minerva two tries before she got it right, and as she scanned the map, eyes darting from name to name in search of the Potions Master, she muttered to herself about the ingenuity of her favorite pupils wasted on foolish pranks.

Now, where might Severus be? The Potions Lab? The dungeons? The Forest? Where?

But she couldn't find Severus. Not even when she scanned it her second time. Severus Snape was gone from Hogwarts.

And so is Wormtail.

Minerva carefully folded the Marauders' Map, and breathed in deeply, letting it out audibly through her teeth. But why would anyone want to take Polyjuice potion to look like Wormtail? What purpose would that serve? How did the rat manage to capture Severus? What the hell is going on? It was a rare occasion for her to curse, even mentally, but Minerva found this situation warranted a healthy dose of cursing.

There were so many loose ends, so many unknowns. She had originally thought that the disturbances between her past and the current time had been the result of a small pebble being thrown into a large pond, causing large but minimal ripples--but now she found she was completely wrong. A boulder had been thrown in, and a storm of waves was causing havoc as a result.

Yet we mustn't lose hope, thought Minerva as she came a sudden decision. A boulder may have been thrown into the river of time, changing its course--but there is still hope.

Sitting before her table, she carefully summoned to her a stack of new parchments, her old quill, a jar of ink, and began to write--began to do what she had originally planned for the day, which had been interrupted first by Albus, and later by the attack on Godric's Hollow.

Perhaps the future Harry and I came from no longer exists. But we can still learn from it, and change what we can.

She wrote carefully the very first date, the day that had changed so dramatically from her past, and started the long process of recording a past, and a future.

October 31, 1981 - James and Lily Potter's Death, Lord Voldemort's Disappearance

---

Lily Potter dreamed.

She was floating in a wide blue ocean one moment, the next she was flying through the sky, which was another kind of blue ocean--though this time one of air.

Then she was falling, and falling, and falling.

Stand aside, girl.

Did she want to? No, she didn't think so.

Stand aside!

No. No, she really didn't want to.

Then she was drowning, she couldn't breath--clean air! She could breathe! Air! Oxygen! Good!

Sthop dat!

Oh, but she didn't really want to stop breathing, did she?

Ouch. Something hit her, a spike of pain. No. None of that now, she should be free.

She was floating one moment. The next she was flying. She was falling.

And falling.

And falling.

Who was laughing? How dare someone laugh at her? Stop that! Stop right this moment!

Stop that!

Sthop dat!

Oh. Lily didn't want to. Didn't want to what? How would she know?

Floating. Flying. Falling.

Lily, dear, please wake up. Please wake up.

Wake up? She was awake! Oh yes, she was. She had to be awake to float, to fly, to fall.

Oh, there goes that laughing again. Stand aside, girl.

Just, just, shut up! Why must this person bother her so?

Sthop dat! I hate you, Rwiddle!

No. She was Lily. How dare Harry call her Riddle? How dare her son say he hated her?

Oh, no. None of that now. Who was this Harry, anyway? Her son? Please!

She was floating. She was flying--

--Wait.

Harry? Her son? Speaking so coherently? Articulating so well?

No. Forget that. A fifteen month old baby couldn't talk so well. Let's forget that now. Yes. Better to forget.

Wouldn't want to think a baby could talk, right?

People would say she was going crazy, then.

And she wasn't crazy--no, she wasn't!

Forget. Forget. Forget. Good. What was she forgetting about?

She didn't remember.

Good.

That laughing again! Stop! How dare someone laugh at her?

Lily, you have to wake up. Please, you have to. Don't leave us, don't leave Harry and me. I don't know if I can handle it. Lily, please, wake up. Wake up.

Hmp. She liked it here. How dare someone ask her to wake up? To leave here?

Wait. No. She was already awake, right? Remember, she was wide awake?

Float. Fly. Fall.

Lily, please! Wake up!

She almost frowned--almost. Go away! Stop disturbing her! She wanted to float, to fly, to fall--

--she wanted to fall?

When did that happen? No. She didn't want to fall. She didn't want to--

STOP LAUGHING!

Lily? Are you waking up? You moved! Madam, she's moving!

Of course she was moving. She had to move to be able to float and to fly.

Lily, please! Wake up! Wake up! I love you, Lily, please come back!

Love? Wake? Up?

Lily was so confused. She was already awake. She was floating, and flying. She was already awake. And she didn't want to leave. She was happy. She was--

--he loves me. James loves me.

Of course he does. She was married to him, he was married to her. They loved each other.

And people who loved each other did things for each other.

Wake up? Did she want to?

Lily, wake up!

Well.

She guessed she could. Yes. For James.

And for Harry.

Goodbye, floating. Goodbye, flying.

That laughing again!

Yes, she wanted definitely wanted to wake up now. But she was already--

Wake up.

Wake up.

Wake.

Up.

Lily opened her eyes.

---

Severus Snape wished he was dead. Oh, wait. He was dead, already. His life was over with.

He knew that. He had been dead the moment he had decided to switch sides, to join the Order.

He was dead. But, he was still alive.

And oh, how he wished he wasn't.

It took exactly thirteen hours. Thirteen horrible hours.

Thirteen hours of hell.

Before he broke. Before his Occlumency shields collapsed. Before Lord Voldemort had ravaged his mind. Before he betrayed everyone.

It was inevitable. No one survived long once the Dark Lord decided someone needed to broken. Severus had seen it done many times before, had participated in it himself.

Yes. It took four hours to break Regulus Black, last year, and Lord Voldemort hadn't even taken so great an interest in it. He had been enraged about something, but didn't take too much interest in the torturing. Only after Black had been broken had Lord Voldemort approach. In any case, it had taken six Death Eaters, Severus included, four hours to break Regulus Alphard Black, traitor.

And that was considered rather long. Lord Voldemort hadn't been best pleased.

But it took thirteen to break Severus.

Exactly thirteen.

He wasn't proud of it. He should have just broken earlier. It would have saved him from great pain.

No, Severus realized a split second later, it wouldn't have. Lord Voldemort would have slowly tortured him anyway.

At least this way, he had held out for thirteen hours. He had been spitting into the Dark Lord's eye for thirteen hours.

Yes. He should have thought of it that way. He, Severus Snape, had been angering Lord Voldemort for thirteen hours--of course, the Dark Lord hadn't been present for all thirteen, but he was there for most of it--and there had been nothing Lord Voldemort could do about it.

Ha, ha, ha! Severus laughed. It was hoarse and touched with insanity--but he didn't care. I am insane. I rather enjoy it.

"I am glad you are enjoying this, Severus," said a silky, oily voice. "I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am. After all, mutual enjoyment is best for all, eh?"

Severus hadn't even been able to kill himself--by biting his tongue, or otherwise. The Dark Lord had quickly prevented that. When I meet the soul of the person who created the Caedo Ego in hell, I will mutilate him.

"Severus, Severus," continued that voice. "You have been such a disappointment. I had high hopes for you, you know."

A hand caressed Severus' bloody cheek, rubbing against the fire-hot lines of torn skin, and the Potions Master hissed in pain.

"But," said the voice. "But, you have been most helpful in the end. For that, I am pleased. In fact, I have it in mind to reward you for your aid."

Severus hung, his arms spread wide and bound to the high to the wall, and found he didn't have the strength to open his eyes. The Caedo Ego had prevented him from sleeping, as well. From falling unconscious. And he was tired. So tired.

"You will die, of course," soothed the voice. Oh, how Severus hated that voice. "But you will die swiftly. That is my gift to you, your reward."

Yes. Death. Come take him. He craved for it. Whether he went to hell, or to paradise, he didn't care. It couldn't be any worse than this.

"Halloween tonight. At Diagon Alley. You shall be hanged swiftly for your crimes, Severus Snape."

Severus groaned as the hand parted and re-split his scabbed skin.

"Well... it may be swift."

The last thing Severus heard, before the Caedo Ego was lifted, before he dropped quite suddenly into unconsciousness, was the cold, high-pitched laughter of Lord Voldemort.

---

Harry Potter woke with a start.

And he realized that he was hungry. It gnawed at him from within, a deep painful throb that made him want to cry. He felt tears come to his eyes, he heard himself start to whimper.

Then he was finally awake.

Why the hell was I about to cry? Are the stupid baby-instincts taking over?

"Harry," said a voice from the side, and he looked up to see Minerva, who was holding a platter full of food. Yes! I'm hungry! Give me food! She smiled amusedly, but Harry didn't particularly care at that moment. He hardly realized that he was projecting his thoughts through the Mute-Speak, either. All he could think about was the food.

Minerva sat next to him on the stool, then carefully placed the platter in the crib. When Harry reached for it, however, she quickly waved him away. "Harry, you're hardly able to feed yourself cleanly, yet."

"I can try," he answered stubbornly. Yeah. I have to try sometime. I'll only get better as I try.

"You can try with your mother, then," she said sternly, her wand quickly getting rid of the crib walls, leaving only a flat mattress that Harry sat on. "I will not have you spill all over your crib. Now, open your mouth."

And so Harry, humiliated beyond belief, as spoon-fed by his one-time Transfigurations Professor and friend. Oh, bloody hell! Can I maybe use Metamorphmagus transformations to gain better motor control? It was a thought. He would try later, he decided. Granted, his abilities weren't as great as Tonks', but he could still do a few tricks.

"How long was I asleep?" Harry asked mentally as he ate.

"A couple of hours," said Minerva. Her eyes were still lit with amusement, Harry saw grumpily. "Past four, nearly five hours. It is nearing eight in the evening."

"Did my dad come to check in on me?"

"Yes, in fact," said Minerva as she fed him another spoon. "He came twice, actually. The first time it was about an hour into your nap--but finding out you were asleep, he was willing to let you be. The second time was just a half-hour ago. He decided it best to let you sleep again, and I think he wanted to keep you away from your mother. She hasn't yet woken, you see, and he doesn't want to worry you."

Harry nodded. "Sorry I fell asleep," he said a moment later. "What did you find out about Snape?"

The light disappeared from Minerva's eyes. "He's missing. I cannot find him from the map. Wormtail is missing as well."

Harry felt his appetite disappear. "Wait, so it was Wormtail that dad dueled? Or did someone take Polyjuice? What for, then?"

She shook her head slowly, and Harry knew she was just as clueless as he was. "I do not understand either. It is all rather confusing. How did Wormtail manage to escape? Why has Severus disappeared? These are all questions we have no answer to."

Harry hesitated a moment, before speaking, "D-do you think, maybe, that he betrayed--"

"No," said Minerva at once, not unkindly, "you know as well as I do that Severus is, though not loyal to our cause, firmly against Lord Voldemort. He would never betray us. And the Unbreakable Vow is still there, Harry, you know this."

"Yeah," projected Harry with a sigh. "You're right. I should give him more credit. It's just, hard, you know? There's a lot of history between us--but you know this already."

Minerva nodded in perfect understanding as she held up another spoon. "Yes, Harry, I dare say I am well aware." Harry heard her sigh. "I only hope he is safe. But I doubt it. You know, as well as I do, that no can survive the Dark Lord for long."

"Well, he can't reveal anything Voldemort doesn't already know," said Harry with a mental sigh. "Voldemort remembers the future now, so he'll know all about the Prophecy and whatnot. There's nothing new that he can tell the Dark Lord."

"Perhaps," said Minerva. "But we still do not know how much of the future he remembers."

"Even the smallest bit is too much," said Harry miserably.

Minerva banished the empty plate and platter when Harry finished. "While you were sleeping, I recorded our past, writing it all down. This way, we will be able to reference specific events and work to prevent it. Take a look, Harry, and tell me if you find anything missing."

Harry looked carefully, reading over it attentively when Minerva summoned it to them, but found only the smallest bits incorrect. "I think you have everything down," he said once Minerva made the corrections. "I can't remember anything more right now, either."

"Good, good," said Minerva as she quickly spelled it. "Charms is not my best subject, Harry, but I will protect this chart as best I can."

"Yeah, I'd hate to think what might happen to it if it got into the wrong hands."

Harry felt troubled, actually, as he looked over the list and the first date caught his eye. True, his parents had died that Halloween, but still, the Wizarding world had been given thirteen years of relative peace because of it, right? Could Harry have been so selfish to trade the lives of his parents for countless others? Because now, Lord Voldemort was free to create more chaos and trouble, not gone and silent like he was in Harry's past.

Harry looked up at his mentor, and forced himself to speak his feelings. "Minerva, maybe we shouldn't have changed the past," he said, every word paining his heart, but he knew he had to speak it. "I mean, now Voldemort is still going to kill others, and the war will still go on. Maybe... maybe... my parents... should have.... died. Maybe it would have been better--"

"No," said Minerva firmly, her eyes staring intently into Harry's own eyes. She said this with conviction, trying to convince Harry. "No, Harry. Never think that. Never. We will change it all, Harry. Things just seem bad right now, but you mustn't lose hope. Harry, dear Harry, you don't deserve this, and your parents don't deserve to die. Never think that, Harry. Perhaps things are worse now, than before, but we cannot live with regret. We must move on. And we must continue to fight. You never know how things will work out."

"But, Minerva, we can arrange things so that it falls out like the past again--"

"I hope, Harry, that you are not suggesting setting up a trap that will kill your parents, because--"

"But it will also get rid of Voldemort, which is--"

"Not worth the lives of your parents, Harry! The Dark Lord is worth nothing--"

"But he's still alive! He'll kill countless people because--"

"You do not know that! You do not know whether--"

"Of course I do! You know as well as I do that this is what Voldemort does. He kills for--"

"Very well! Let us say we kill your parents, and temporarily get rid of Voldemort, what then?"

"We'll have a chance to stop him, then. We can gather the Horcrux and destroy--"

"But you are forgetting one crucial thing: Voldemort remembers! He won't try to kill you--"

"But you said he might not remember everything, he still might--"

"Harry! Do you want your parents to die--?"

"OF COURSE NOT! But if it's the only way to get rid of Voldemort, even temporarily, then it's a sacrifice--"

"Sacrifice? Sacrifice! Since when do you talk about sacrifices--?"

"Ever since you fucking left me with the Dursleys! Ever since you let Albus sacrifice my childhood!"

There was a moment of silence, and Harry immediately felt regret as he looked up at Minerva's pale face. He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Minerva. I'm passed that, truly I am. And I don't blame you for putting me with the Dursleys. There's no way you could've known."

It was another long pause, before Minerva spoke, "Harry, I understand. And I'm sorry--no, let me say it--I'm sorry for your childhood. It was a sacrifice Albus had no right to demand of you. But Harry, it is the same for your parents. What you are suggesting is a sacrifice that you have no right to demand from them!"

Harry's mouth fell open, as her last statement struck him, and struck him hard. Light, she's right. I have no right to demand that from them. How could I have talked about arranging their deaths? About killing them? He felt bile rise from inside, and just barely kept from retching his late lunch--late dinner. Oh, mum, dad, I'm so sorry!

Harry finally spoke, and it was with a tone of self-disgust,"You're right, Minerva. I can't believe I was just doing that! I'm sorry."

He heard her sigh in relief, and nodded as she spoke, "Not to worry, Harry. I'm glad it came up. And I'm glad I've managed to convince you."

"Yeah," said Harry apologetically. "I was being an idiot. Thanks for knocking some sense back into me."

"You are most welcome," she said, with a small gentle smile, and Harry smiled weakly in return.

There was another span of silence, while each was lost in their own thoughts.

Finally Harry looked up, and saw Minerva hesitate, as though she wanted to ask something, but was unsure of Harry's reaction. He watched her, waiting for her to speak. Finally, she did, slowly, "Now, Harry, you never told me directly, but I'm afraid I must ask now. How many of his Horcruxes did you find?"

Oh, of course. He had never told her before, for back then it had been too dangerous for even the most trusted to be given a secret, especially as important as this--but Harry knew it was safe now. I can tell her, I think. But she wouldn't like the answer. "I found three more of the originals, Minerva, apart from the ring and the diary: the Slytherin Locket, Hufflepuff's Cup, and Nagini. But Voldemort also made two more, once he found out after I got to the Cup. I destroyed one of those. So I still don't know where the other last original Horcrux is."

Minerva nodded slowly. "I see. And can you find them again?"

Harry frowned. "I'm not sure. I don't know where they are right now. Not even diary. Does Malfoy still have it? And the locket, the cup, and Nagini I had to track down personally. But I do know how to track it, so it'll only take a matter of time."

"And Lord Voldemort may move them, since he may now remember that you had hunted and destroyed them in the future."

Oh. I didn't realize that. Damn! Harry groaned. "Oh, Minerva, we're in big trouble."

"Harry, now is not the time to let yourself down," said Minerva gently. "We can do this, Harry. We can."

"I guess, but I still don't--"

The flames in Minerva's hearth roared as a Floo connection was made, and Harry heard Madam Pomfrey's voice flow out. "Minerva, Lily's just waken up. She wants Harry. Are you there?"

"Poppy, that is excellent news!" said Minerva, quickly reaching out for Harry. Their eyes met for an instant, and Harry knew she was saying a silent farewell. We'll need to talk later, but for now, we need to go on, she was saying. Harry nodded. "I'll give you Harry so you can bring him there immediately. How is she faring?" Harry felt her discreetly cancel the Mute-Speak. Well, it was a good conversation while it lasted.

"Thank you," said the nurse. "Lily's faring quite well, actually. I found no sign of mental retardation, and she's only forgotten a portion of her memories--perhaps the last ten minutes before she received her head trauma. She remembers only up till when you dueled with You-Know-Who." At that last part, Madam Pomfrey's tone changed to one of wonder, as though amazed that Minerva had dueled with Voldemort and survived.

Harry only felt relief, however. His mother was safe, alive, with only a slight memory loss. Oh. It looks like mum won't remember my outburst. Minerva and I forgot to plan something if she did. But she won't remember. That's good. I think.

Yes. It was good, Harry decided a moment later. It would have caused quite a lot of trouble if she had remembered. I'm glad she's forgotten, then. I don't like that she had to get a concussion, but the consequences don't seem too bad. Was he a bad son, to think like this?

No, he told himself. No, you're not a bad son. You're just thinking ahead, thinking about the war to come. But then again, he had just thought about arranging their deaths, too. I'm glad Minerva knocked some sense into me. Yes. Definitely glad.

Lily smiled up at Harry as Madam Pomfrey brought him along--Minerva had decided to stay in her office--and he squealed in delight. "Mama!" he cried, hoping that it didn't sound too off. He knew babies could speak at the age of over one, though not very coherently. "Mama!"

"Harry," she said, reaching out for him, then hugging him tightly when he was passed into her arms. "My dearest Harry." He heard her sob a little, and had to stop himself from crying as well. My mother is alive. She's lived past Halloween--how could I have thought about killing her just an hour before?

"Lily, it's all right. Everything will be okay," Harry heard his father say, as James drew the three of them into a hug. Yeah, everything will be okay. Minerva and I will make sure of it. Nothing will happen to you, mum and dad, I promise. "We made it through this. We're all alive and safe. That's all that matters. That's all that--"

The infirmary doors crashed open as hostile magic struck, and Peter Pettigrew stepped inside. "How very touching!" said Pettigrew cold-heartedly. "The Potter family in a group hug. My, what a heart-warming scene!" He held reached into his pocket, and pulled out a roped net. "My Lord Voldemort desires to meet you. It is not good to keep him waiting."

He threw it at them.

Before anyone could react, the net flapped open and enveloped them--

--portkeying the family away instantly.

"Ah, and so our last guests, the Potters, have finally arrived," said Lord Voldemort coldly. "And now, we can finally begin the Celebration of Darkest Night."

The Dark Lord suddenly laughed then, a shrill, high-sounding note that brought fear and terror to all.

"Welcome, honored guests, to Halloween."

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To be continued....

Chapter Five: The Boy Who Lived will be updated soon, but reviews help shorten the time. So take the hint and review! A simple, "Wonderful!" or a "Love it!" will do! Even simple messages like that inspire authors to write more!

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Ending Notes:

Yes! This chapter is finally done! It took a little more time than the other chapters, mostly because I had three AP exams and three SAT II's to worry about. But those are all things of the past! I'm free! Which means more time to write!

Hem, hem! Now, for the chapter. It was boring. With a cliffie. (I'm an evil author, I know. But I'll update very soon!). Lots of things going on. I hope you liked the small argument between Minerva and Harry. It was... interesting to write.

The next chapter is another explosive one. Another one with Harry/Voldemort conflicts. And as the next chapter title implies (which I've told you above in the To Be Continued section), Voldemort will be toast. It will be the first showdown between the Chosen One and the Dark Lord. The first part of the Prophecy will be fulfilled. And all of that... in the next chapter. Muhahaha!

Read the "To be continued...." section for the date of the next upload. Happy reviewing!

Comments always welcome.

-- liath

(5.08.06)

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