The Rise of a Dark Lord

The Boy-Who-Lived

On the night of the first of November of 1981, most of the Wizarding World of Britain was celebrating. They were celebrating the fall of the most powerful Dark Lord of the last 500 years. They celebrated cheering the Savior of the Wizarding World. But not once during their celebration did they think about the price a young baby had to pay so they could have peace.

Not once did they think about the little orphan who was being left on the doorstep of a family who didn't want him. Not once did they think that that little boy had lost all his family that night.

It was on that night that Albus Dumbledore left the little orphan on the doorstep of his aunt's home. Albus Dumbledore, who was considered by many as the greatest wizard since the Founders of Hogwarts, was confident that he had made the right choice. They were after all the boy's family, it was best if he grew up away from all the fame that he was certain to receive, like that when he finally went to Hogwarts it would be easier to guide him in the right direction, because the boy would not have been subjected to the bigotry of the wizarding world. In all his wisdom he saw no problem with his plan, in his opinion, there was no way it could go wrong.

It would take ten years for Albus Dumbledore to start to understand how wrong his plan would go, and a few more after that for him to really see just how wrong he was when it came to dealing with the young Harry Potter.

Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape were in front of a house that had seen better days. It had an old and worn-out look, and it emitted a cold and desolated air.

Albus Dumbledore verified the address again and confirmed that they really were in the right place. The House wasn't a simple house, it was an orphanage, a boy's only orphanage, and Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape were there to see young Harry Potter.

Just like all years, the Deputy-Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would send off the letters of acceptance to all the children that were registered and several professors would visit the students that were new to the wizarding world personally. But this year there was something different, this year was the year that Harry Potter would come back to the Wizarding World.

Dumbledore spent several hours pondering on how to deal with the situation. If it were best to send a letter or a professor. And if he did send a professor which one would be appropriate? After several different options, he concluded that it would be best if he went there himself. If he went himself he could even talk to the young boy and see what kind of child he was. Having made his choice he waited till Harry's birthday and apparated to Privet Drive.

What was supposed to be a nice afternoon talking with Harry Potter and his family was everything but.

The Dursleys lost no time telling the Headmaster that they had left the freak, it was what they called the child, in the nearest police station and they informed the Headmaster that they wanted nothing to do with freaks and then proceeded to close the door on the Headmaster's face.

It took five seconds for Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard alive, to understand what the Dursleys had told him. When he finally understood he did the only thing he could think of; find Severus Snape, Hogwarts's Potion Master, to help him localize the young Potter. He may be the greatest wizard of his time, but even he admitted that talking to police officers and trying to find his way in the muggle world wasn't his cup of tea.

Finally, after a couple of hours, with a little magical help, they were able to locate the young Harry Potter in the orphanage for boys St. Benedict.

And that led them to be sitting in a small, stuffed, and moldy office talking to the matron of the orphanage.

"You are here to take young Harry to a school for the gifted? Was that what you said?" asked Mrs. Brown.

Dumbledore smiled his usual grand-fatherly smile and had a twinkle in his eyes when he answered. "That's right. He's been registered since birth, since his parents went there as well. Mrs. Brown, if you don't mind, could you tell me how long Harry's been here at the orphanage?"