CHP.1

Today it rains down, much like the tears that flow from his eyes. Another casualty of a war that went on for too long was laid to rest today. I do not know who is being laid to rest, but it has to be someone who was not close to many people. I was standing on a hill, overlooking the scene. Few were crying. The man who I remember as a young boy is crying the hardest, his wife and children standing by his side. When the crowd begins to thin, I approach the grave. I need to find out who the last casualty is. When I have arrived, the boy has left with his family. I stand still for a moment, absorbing the information that is written on the grave marker. This does not make since. Why is the boy crying over a man who did not love him? Why is the boy crying over a man who hated him for so many years? I begin to walk briskly toward the direction of the family. It is my job to find out the real story behind the sorrow of this man. It is my job to find out what happened, and it is a the story that I share with you today.

The boy’s name is Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived. He was forced to skip his last year at Hogwarts. It was a failed attempt to kill Voldemort. You may think that he killed him on that fateful night during the Battle of Hogwarts. However, you are mistaken. Yes, Voldemort did die but it was not for many years later. Harry had failed to kill Voldemort. He had watched so many people die that night. The students of Hogwarts and anyone who defied Voldemort that night were forced to retreat. That was when Harry realized that many had a short time to live. It was his decision to marry Ginny Weasley after the battle. It was a secret ceremony that was only witnessed by few.

Ginny gave birth to a baby boy two years after she had married Harry. James Sirius Potter, was born in the midst of a war. Harry had not been there to witness the birth of his son. He had been in a battle with death eaters. It was one where he was barely able to escape. A year later, Albus Severus Potter was born. Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape were two men who had died due to the war. Harry had also missed the birth of his second child, for he had gone missing. He was tortured for days on end by the death eaters who had captured him. Harry had almost lost his life that day. He managed to escape with Peruvian instant darkness powder that he had held onto. Harry went to a safe house that only few knew about. Ginny had nursed him back to health.

“Ginny….” He whispered. “I think you need to stay with your parents.”

“No, Harry. I am staying with you.” She replied.

“Ginny….If people see you with me, then they may figure out that I love you. If they can find me and do this to me, I hate to imagine what they can do to you. I don’t want to see you hurt. I want you and the kids to be safe.”

“Harry, nothing is going to happen to us. We are safe here.”

“No, you’re not. They took me just down the street. You are not safe here.”

“You need to rest. You just came too.” She was trying to change the subject.

“I am fine right now. I need to make sure you and the kids are safe. When I am healed, you need to go live with your parents.”

“Harry…”

“Ginny, please.”

Ginny sat there for a moment, thinking over her options, but she knew that Harry was right.

“Fine.”

“Thank you Ginny.”

Harry healed five days later and Ginny went to her parents house, where she had lived with her parents for the past two years. Harry had only been able to see his children once every few months. It killed him that he could not watch his children grow up. The safe house, which had been used as the headquarters for The Order of The Phoenix, became very lonely. Very few people were around. When people did come over, they only brought bad news. When Mrs. Weasley entered the house one evening, Harry knew that the news that she was about to bring was not pleasant.

“Mrs. Weasley….”

“She’s gone!” The woman cried.

“What?!”

“Ginny and the children are gone. They went out to by some food and they never came back.”

Panic rose in Harry’s chest. Where could his family have gone? Who took them?

“This came just after supper.” Mrs. Weasley whispered, pulling an envelope out of her pocket.

Harry took the envelope, which was labeled Harry Potter, and opened it quickly.

“Your family is missing. If you want to see them alive, come to the place where your parents died. If you are not here by midnight, then your family will die.”

Harry dropped the envelope to the ground and ran out the door. Night had fallen when he was far away from the peering eyes of muggles. He apparated to Godric’s Hallow as quick as he had left the safe house.

He could see the old house from the hill that he was standing on, but was too far to see what may have been happening inside. Harry took off in a full sprint. When his feet began to make a rhythmic pounding on the street, he pulled out his wand. He didn’t look around as he ran, his sights were set on the old house. He knew that there were others around him, but it didn’t bother him. Throwing open the old wooden gate, Harry ran even faster.

“Ginny!” He yelled as he entered the house.

“Harry!” Ginny yelled back.

It took five steps for Harry to clear the staircase.

“Ginny!” He yelled again.

“Harry!”

“Daddy!” His kids yelled.

Harry took off toward the room at the end of the wall. The door was slightly open and Harry through the door open.

“Expelliarmus.” A cold voice growled.

Harry’s wand went flying out of his hand, then he went down to the ground in pain. His muscles began to tighten and he could feel his body shaking uncontrollably. He heard Ginny’s screams of fright as the Cruciatus curse took effect on her husband. She began to cry as the curse stayed on Harry for minutes on end. Finally, the tormentor released the curse and Harry’s body relaxed.

“Get up.” The cold voice ordered.

Harry was slow to get up. He had been looking around the room, attempting to devise a plan. There was a crib in the room and a dresser, but not much else. Ginny, who was holding the children tight, was sitting beside the dresser.

“I said get up Potter.” The voice growled once again.

Their tormentor approached Harry. He made the one decision that made sense, Fight. He took one swing at his tormentor and missed. It was the worst time to miss. Harry fell to the ground, pushed by the mystery man, and kicked multiple times.

“Stop right now, Potter.” The man said as Harry tried once again to take him down. “Or I start killing your family.”

Harry struggled to his knees as the man moved away from him. While catching his breath, Harry looked up. The man was dressed in jet black robes, his wand was pointed threateningly at Ginny and the kids. Harry’s eyes traveled farther up the man and Harry almost fell over. How could his be? The man had died five years ago during the battle and now he was holding Harry and his family hostage.

“Snape.” Harry growled as he spit blood out of his mouth