Harry Potter 1. Chapter 1

A/N: I'm writing Chapter 2, but it's slow... So I decided to make this chapter better. This universe is the same, but I've changed the other universe. Untill the next chapter, blackrhino

Disclaimer – The world of Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling and various publishers. I make no claim to ownership. I'm just here, living in her world.

**Parallel Lives**

by blackrhino

**Chapter 1**

**This universe**

An owl hooted somewhere far off as Lily Potter put her one year old son into his crib. Harry Potter, Lily and James' first son, gurgled happily as Lily started to sing. It was a sweet lullaby that Lily's mother had sung to her when she was the same age. The young child yawned happily before drifting off. Lily sighed. Something was off. Godric's Hollow was far too quiet for her liking.

Lily crept downstairs and into the living room. James Potter, her husband, the man she loved, was sleeping just like her baby upstairs. He murmured in his sleep and started to toss and turn. He was worrying a lot at the moment. The Dark Lord Voldemort was killing more innocents everyday and no muggle, or wizard alike was safe. Unless you were part of Voldemort's dark army. 

Before Harry was born, James and Lily were both involved in the war effort. James was already a top auror, despite his age. 'One of the very best', according to Alastor Moody. Lily was amazing at healing and had been on track to becoming one of St. Mungo's healers. Both were very valued Order members. Until Harry was born and the prophecy was told.

After Sybil Trelawney had sealed theirs and the Longbottoms son's fates, everything changed. Both families went under the Fidelius charm and completely isolated themselves from the entire world. None but a select few knew where to find them. 

After a great deal of thought, the Potters agreed to make Peter Pettigrew their secret keeper. Who would suspect a weak wizard like Peter to be the Potter's secret keeper? Sirius was _far_ too obvious. 

Only Sirius, Peter and Dumbledore knew where the Potters were. All of them, except Lily, suspected that their friend, Remus Lupin, was a traitor due to his werewolf status and had probably taken the dark mark. 

So here they were, James had to sit by as aurors fought without him and Lily sat tight while St. Mungos became overloaded with injured innocents. 

James moaned in his sleep. He did this more often nowadays. Lily went and curled up next to him, snuggling into his chest. He immediately calmed and woke up slightly. He pulled Lily close and breathed in her scent. He loved moments like this, when the two of them were alone. Not that Harry was a nuisance! In fact, Harry hardly ever cried. His little boy was always smiling, laughing, giving them something to fight for. His little boy. Only the other day had Harry performed his first piece of accidental magic. Dumbledore said it was rare, but not unheard of, for children to show magic at such an early age. 

"How's Prongslet?" murmured James, smiling at the thought of his happy-go-lucky son.

"Harry's fine" Lily sighed heavily. "He's so beautiful James! And he's all ours. Our ray of light in the darkness. He's growing up so quickly. I can't believe it. Hmmm… I heard Sirius earlier. Was he alright? Harry was asking for him."

"Yeah, Sirius was ok. He was on his way to check up on Peter and Remus."

"Do you still think Remus is the traitor? I can't believe he'd do something like that…"

"I don't know Lils. I just don't know."

"Are you thirsty? Would you like some tea?"

"Ha-ha! Great change of subject there! I'd love some tea, thanks." laughed James.

Lily went and busied herself in the kitchen. She was just so scared for her baby's and her husband's lives. Even though they were under the Fidelius, she didn't feel safe. Nor did James.

Just as the kettle came to the boil, a slight change in the magic surrounding the house alerted both James and Lily.

James pointed his wand at the door and readied himself in the defence position. 

"Lily, get Harry to Hogwarts" James said as calmly as possible. "Now!" he said with more urgency. Lily ran up the stairs, two at a time.

As she reached Harry's room, an explosion shook the house. Shouting filled the living room downstairs.

Peter had betrayed them. Peter ,their friend, had betrayed them to the Dark Lord.

Lily hurried into her son's room and picked him up. She tried to apparate but anti-apparation wards had been put up. She calmly placed Harry back down in the crib and locked the door with the strongest locking charm she knew. She then barricaded the door with the furniture in her baby's room. Nothing but a mere blemish for the Dark Lord.

The house was silent and Lily stood over her baby's crib. She whispered prayer after prayer under her breath. Nothing moved for what seemed like ages.

_Hopefully_ she thought, _any second now, James will shout that everything is fine. That that monster has gone. That the Dark Lord is no more. Please James, just shout. Please…_

The shout never came.

The door blasted into smithereens. Lily screamed as her worst fears were brutally confirmed. Splinters as sharp as knives rained down on her and her baby. She shielded him as best as she could.

The monster stood in the doorway.

"Ah! Lily Potter. How… _nice_ it is to see you again."

"Fuck off, you monster!" she spat.

"Now, now Lily. Where _are_ your manners? Maybe you should be taught a lesson. _Crucio._" 

He smirked with glee as she thrashed around on the floor. She screamed until her throat was raw as the excruciating pain racked through her. After what seemed like hours, days even, the pain subsided. 

"Lily, I give you a choice. Even though you are of vile, unworthy blood, I will let you join me. You are a very talented witch. Or, the alternative is that I kill you. Just like your pathetic, blood-traitorous husband. What do you say?"

"I will _never_ join you so; I guess you'll have to kill me. Just please, don't harm Harry. He's done nothing wrong."

"You don't understand mudblood. The reason I came here tonight was to kill your son. You and your husband were just mere obstacles on the way. They say your son will be able to defeat me. If he is dead, he won't be able. Don't you understand woman? Obviously not. _Avada Kedavra._"

Lily's eyes widened as the green light sped towards her. She was too weak from the Cruciatus to dodge.

The light left her eyes shortly after.

"Well. What do we have here?" Voldemort turned his blood-red eyes to the child staring up at him from the crib.

"Do not worry child. I will make it quick." 

He turned his wand towards the boy and uttered those same words.

"_Avada Kedavra_."

Baby Harry looked up into the scary man's red eyes. The same green light that had hit him mother span towards him. He whimpered slightly and used the bars of the crib to stand. He stood there, defiantly, as the killing curse streaked towards him.

Voldemort watched as the child stood up. _Just as Gryffindor-ish as his mother and father._ The spell hit the boy and was thrown back with a cry. The infant looked up at him. Curiosity sparkled in his emerald eyes. A strange lightning-bolt shaped cut leaked blood down his face.

Harry looked up at the monster, blood slightly blinding him. The scary man's face looked on in horror as his magic flared up around him. A whirlwind of colours and shadows spun around him and a certain green light was thrown back at its castor.

The scary man's eyes widened in shock, but instead of letting the light hit him, he dodged. The spell crashed into the wall and rocked the whole house.

The Dark Lord stared at the hole in the wall. _Why hadn't the boy died? Is his magic really stronger than mine?_ Voldemort did the first thing that came into his head. He ran.

Once the scary man had left, Harry promptly fainted. His magic had been keeping him conscious and now, it had left him.

Dumbledore was the first person to arrive at the Potter's house. He raced through the house, checking the bodies of James, then Lily. He never bothered to check little Harry's body. He sat on the floor in the nursery and cried. Not just a few tears, but tears that had accumulated over the years. He not only cried for the Potters, but the other families that had perished at the hands of the Dark Lord. 

When he finally got up, he went to go downstairs. He would move the body of James because Sirius would be here soon. Sirius Black. The traitor. He immediately ran to the top of the stairs, but a small whimper stopped him. 

He span around, to see baby Harry stroking Lily's hair. 

"My dear child! You're alright! My poor child. Come along." He scooped the child up. Harry looked a mess. His face was covered in blood and one of his little arms was bent out of shape, broken. 

A sudden howl from downstairs alerted him to someone's presence. Albus Dumbledore pulled out his wand and hurried downstairs. 

The most upsetting scene assaulted him. 

Sirius raced to Godric's Hollow after he had heard about the attack. The house looked awful. The front door was missing and a massive hole had been blasted through one of the upstairs walls. 

He hurried inside and let out a strangled howl.

James Potter, his best friend since they were 11, his brother in all but name and blood, lay dead on the floor in the living room. 

He rushed over to him, tears pouring out of his eyes. He cradled his friend's face in his arms.

"Not James… Please! Not James… Anyone but James… Nooo! Please no!"

This was the scene that met Dumbledore. The so-called traitor rocking back and forth with James Potter's head cradled against his chest, tears streaming down his face.

"Why Sirius? WHY? WHY DID YOU BETRAY THEM?" yelled Albus, losing his calm exterior. Harry whimpered in his arms.

"Mama? Da? Siri?" he whimpered.

Sirius looked up as the small child whispered his name. 

"I would never betray them Albus… I wasn't the secret keeper. I was too obvious. It was… Peter! PETER THAT LITTLE BASTARD! HE'S THE TRAITOR! I'LL GET HIM IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!" screamed Sirius. He headed for the door.

"NO! Sirius, think of Harry. He has no parents now. He needs you more than ever now. Voldemort couldn't kill him today, but he'll certainly try again. We need you to help look after him. He'll be safe at Hogwarts. Sirius, _I_ need your help. I can't raise him on my own. Please Sirius." pleaded Albus.

Sirius looked down at the motionless form of his best friend. He nodded, tears filling his eyes.

"We need to move now. Voldemort might come back with back-up." Albus headed out the door with Harry bundled up in his arms.

Sirius choked on his tears.

"I'll raise him James. Don't you worry. I'll look after him. You can trust me. Don't worry Prongs. I'll tell him all about his brave, wonderful parents. Don't you worry, you can trust me."

With that, he turned away and apparated to Hogwarts.

**A universe parallel to this one**

A knock on his door alerted Albus to the fact that he had visitors. He looked down at his watch. It was late. Who would be knocking on his door at this time of night?

"Come in" he called out.

James and Lily Potter pushed their way in to the office.

"Albus, what do you want?" asked James in an anxious voice.

"My dear boy, what are you going on about? Please sit down…"

James and Lily's faces dropped in horror.

"James, Lily, what's going on?" anxiously asked Albus, raising from his chair.

"My baby!" screamed Lily, before dashing to the fire. James and Albus rushed after her.

The three emerged into the spotless sitting room of James and Lily's house in Godric's Hollow. Lily rushed up the stairs, wand in hand. James followed, taking the stairs two at a time. Albus stood at the bottom of the stairs, tears streaming down his face. A sorrow filled scream pieced the silent atmosphere. Albus hung his head and ascended the stairs.

Lily knelt next to her baby's crib, weeping uncontrollably at the sight before her. James stood behind her, crying into his hands. There, in the crib was her baby Harry, his throat slit and his blankets soaked in crimson blood. His glassy cold eyes stared up at them, piecing through their very souls.

A while later, aurors arrived to remove the body and check the scene.

James sat on the sofa. People were milling around everywhere. Sirius sat opposite him, his head in his hands. Never again did he have that some boyish innocence. That had died with his godson.

James let out a choking sob as an auror burst through the door.

"The Longbottoms have been attacked! But don't worry, they're fine. Their son Neville has defeated the Dark Lord! The war is over, rejoice! Praise the Boy-Who-Lived!"

But to James it didn't matter. Every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was the body of his baby, soaked in blood.

Their baby, their son, was dead. Only hours ago, they had seen him smiling and laughing.

His darling little boy.

His little marauder.

Dead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Parallel Lives**

by blackrhino

**Chapter 2**

**This universe**

Sirius followed Albus through the shadows around the Potter's house, just in case anyone was watching.

They stopped behind a bush and Albus passed Harry to Sirius. Sirius opened his mouth to ask the headmaster where they were going but Albus put his finger to his lips.

Albus brought out his wand and a golden galleon. He whispered _portus_ and the coin glowed momentarily.

Sirius placed a finger on the coin and the portkey activated.

They were finally back in the safety of Hogwarts.

Sirius staggered into the main hall and slumped down on one of the benches. He sobbed loudly and held onto Harry tightly, as if any minute he would disappear.

Meanwhile, Albus cast his misty patronus with a message for all his staff members to wake up. A few minutes later, various professors raced down to the entrance hall.

"Albus, what's happened? What's wrong?" worriedly questioned Minerva. The others stayed quiet, fearful of the answer.

A stray tear slid down Albus' cheek. "The Potters. Lily and James are… Dead. Voldemort attacked them."

"Lily and… Oh God. No… Albus, it can't be true! But… Sirius! He betrayed them, I never thought…" ranted Minerva.

"I'm afraid Minerva, we were all wrong. Peter was the secret keeper, and therefore the traitor. Peter is the death eater who betrayed the Potters."

"What happened to Sirius and… Oh my… What about their son? Albus, what happened to Harry?"

"Sirius and Harry are… fine. Just a couple of minor injuries. Nothing Poppy can't fix."

"Where are they?" questioned one of the other teachers from the back.

Albus responded by pushing open the door to the hall.

Sirius was fast asleep, little Harry snuggled into his jumper.

"What are we going to do with them?" whispered Minerva.

"They'll stay here. I've got the perfect place for them to stay."

Little Harry whimpered in his sleep and Sirius unconsciously held onto the child tighter. Albus went over to the pair and placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder.

Sirius immediately jolted awake.

"Wha..? What's going on?" he blurted out.

"It ok Sirius. You're safe now, but I think we should be going to hospital wing. We need to get the two of you cleaned up."

Sirius glanced down at the boy in his arms and nodded. He staggered to his feet and wearily followed Albus on the familiar path to the infirmary.

They had only just passed the threshold of the hospital wing when Poppy Pomfrey raced out of her office. She acted very much like an angry mother bird, reliving Sirius of the sleeping Harry, directing Sirius to his own bed, grabbing numerous potions and casting various spells all while she berated Albus for not bringing Sirius and Harry to her sooner.

It was only a few days later that Poppy reluctantly let Sirius and Harry out of her care. She made sure all bones were fixed, bruises had faded and cuts were completely gone before she even considered it.

"Where are we going Professor?" asked Sirius as he followed the headmaster through the school.

"Somewhere the two of you can be safe." simply remarked Albus as the neared the Entrance Hall. "The Marauders thought they knew all there is to know about Hogwarts, all of its secrets. You were all wrong. You found many of the castle's secret passageways and a few of it's secret rooms, like the Room of Requirement. There is a lot more to Hogwarts than meets the eye. As Headmaster, Hogwarts lets me in on some of its secrets. No all, only some. Where I'm about to show you, is one such secret. The two of you will be free to live, free from harm and away from the eye of the media."

"Where? I suppose it's in Hogwarts."

"Not _in _Hogwarts, my dear boy. _Outside_of it! Welcome Sirius, to Ravenclaw Manor!"

At that exact moment, the three rounded the side of the castle. The castle rose up the pinnacle of rock it was built on and the lake lay before them. And there, built half into the side of the cliff, was a massive, beautiful European styled manor house.

It was made of white stone and had French style windows. The black, tiled roofs joined seamlessly with the bare rockface. Flowerbeds littered the manicured lawn between the castle and the house. A white paved path wound towards the steps to the front door just like the natural course of a river. The back of the house opened up onto the lake, where a short jetty stretched into the water. Cupolas **(1)** reached into the sky and a lone owl swooped out of one. A flag rose from the top of the other, swaying gently in the breeze. The flag showed the Hogwarts crest.

"Wha… Since when… Albus?" stuttered Sirius.

"Ravenclaw Manor was built by Rowena herself. She brought together the best architecture from around Europe and put it into one house. She imbued it with magic to show the natural beauty of the world around her."

"It definitely worked. This place is beautiful! Now… Why are you showing this place to us?"

"Straight to the point as always. I propose that you and little Harry live here. Remus as well if he wants. Here, you will be safe. Harry can grow, play, practise and train. The ministry cannot trace any magic used here. Sirius, Voldemort is not dead. One day, he will return and will want to finish the job he started. I want Harry to have a normal childhood, but we also have to teach him and train him so that he survives the inevitable."

"I… I understand. One question though. How come I never, not _once_, saw this place? It's massive! I must have walked through it numerous times, _and not even noticed!_It must be under the Fidelius. Am I right?"

"Of a sort. I don't know what the charm is. You can only reveal the location of the manor if they are good of heart. The location cannot be forced out of a person. The only people who know about this place are the house elves, myself, Minerva, you and Harry. I hope Remus will join you soon. He can then use the forest every full moon."

"I'll ask him soon. I need to apologise as well, for thinking _he_ was the traitor."

"Well, now that's sorted, care to step inside?"

A/N: It's been a while (and sorry this chapter is so short)! Don't throw stuff at me please! I've been busy doing stupidly boring and ,sometimes, extremely hard exams which are completely pointless if you ask me! But, I got an A in English, an A in Science and a B in Maths (I think). Yay! It's the holidays in a week and 3 days so I will be able to update when I like. Please review, they make me write faster!

blackrhino


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Harry Potter, Adventure, Drama