Chapter 1 – Rebirth
I trust Severus Snape completely. The words echoed throughout his head over and over. He shuddered, his spine tingling and a chill running down his back which seemed to fasten him to the ground, lost in a fog of thought and mindless clutter. He gazed emptily into the cool evening sky, and watched the heavens dance above him. In simpler times, it was a beautiful sight to behold, he thought.
But simpler times had long since past. Harry Potter, like so many summers past, found himself sitting in front of number Four, Privet Drive. Light from the TV inside flickered carelessly against his back, and he heard the unmistakable grunt of Uncle Vernon inside. Life in the muggle world carried on, precariously uninterrupted, while the wizard world – the one which Harry had embraced – plunged into chaos.
Harry ran a finger through his disheveled hair, stopping momentarily on the raised scar on his forehead. His lip quivered for a moment as emotion overtook him. Voldemort. Malfoy. Snape……
But there was nothing Harry could do, Albus Dumbledore was dead. The events of the past year rushed through his head, swirling and mixing like the wispy gray memories of Dumbledore’s pensieve. He had found love and happiness. His greatest weapon, Dumbledore had told him. And he had found hate – a hatred that engrained itself deeper every time the scar on Harry’s forehead singed with pain. Still he must endure, Harry thought. He was Dumbledore’s man through and through.
The front door burst open and Uncle Vernon stumbled out into the evening air. “Dinner’s ready if you want to eat! And Petunia’s gone to quite a bit of trouble, so there better not be any owls, wizards, or fireplace explosions!,” he bellowed. Uncle Vernon gave a final “Hrumph”, and slammed the door behind him. Harry had been so lost in thought that he was unaware of the aching sensation in the pit of his stomach, and quickly got up to go inside.
But then something peculiar happened. The streetlight at the very end of Privet Drive flickered for a moment, and went out. All the lights on the street proceeded in succession, until finally Number Four was bathed in darkness. Harry Potter remained still. Four shadowy figured approached silently from the distance………………….