What If… Harry Potter

Harry's head ached as he opened his eyes. His mind was groggy from whatever had happened to him after fighting with Professor Quirrell. The last thing he could remember was a dark cloudy substance screaming at him and then he fell backwards, hitting his head.

“Amelia, please. There's no need for this.” Albus Dumbledore said from across the room.

“Headmaster, I am here in an official capacity. Either call me Madam Bones or Director Bones.”

Albus sighed. “Madam Bones...”

“I've had several students report Quirrell going missing two days ago, Headmaster.” Amelia said and glared at the old man. “Can you tell me where he is or what happened?”

“This is an internal school matter...”

Amelia huffed. “I sincerely doubt Quirrell's family thinks the same.”

“Amelia, please. Harry is...”

“I'm awake.” Harry said, startling both people.

Madam Pomfrey darted out of her office at the noise from the bed, the charms over it alerting her at the noise from her patient. “Mr. Potter.” She said and came to a stop beside the bed. She used her wand and waved it over his prone form several times before she nodded. “Your concussion has faded and your magical exhaustion is nearly recovered.”

“My magical what?” Harry asked, surprised.

“Whatever happened down there had caused you to be severely depleted magically.” Madam Pomfrey said. “I can't explain it, since only someone casting a very strong spell, or several spells, has ever suffered the same.”

“But... I didn't really cast anything.” Harry mumbled, then his mind went back to what happened to Quirrell when Harry had touched him and burned the man's skin. Maybe that did it? He asked himself.

Amelia and Albus walked over to his bedside.

“Mr. Potter, can you tell me what happened?” Amelia asked.

“Amelia, Harry has just woken up and...” Albus said to try and derail the woman's questions.

“Either be silent or I will ask you to leave.” Amelia warned the old man. “This is an official investigation and you do not want me to charge you, the Chief Warlock, with interfering with that. Do you?”

Albus opened his mouth for a moment, then realized he was fighting a losing battle. If he spoke up, he would be ejected and wouldn't find out Harry's version of events. He had already talked to both Ron and Hermione to learn their parts in the scheme to save the Philosopher's Stone and wanted to find out what part Harry had at the end.

Amelia nodded when Albus closed his mouth. “Now, Mr. Potter.”

“It's Harry.” Harry said.

Amelia smiled. “Very well, Harry. Can you tell me what happened?”

And so he did. He told her everything that had happened during the year and how he and his two friends had been investigating things, how they discovered the object, deduced the plans, and then ran through the gauntlet of traps and puzzles to get to the Mirror of Erised.

Amelia held her face in a blank expression the entire time that Harry spoke. She didn't miss the winces and little sighs from Albus as Harry told her about the teachers ignoring Harry's warnings, about the dark creatures and traps in the school, and about how Quirrill somehow perished and turned to ash under his bare hands.

At the last sentence, Albus groaned and rubbed his face. There was no way to cover the incident up now.

“Headmaster, can you give me any insight on this?” Amelia asked.

Albus sighed and explained about Harry's protection that his mother's love and sacrifice had given him.

“You mean to tell me that Harry has ash-inducing powers when in contact with the dark lord's followers?” Amelia asked, shocked.

“No, just Voldemort himself or anyone he is possessing at the time.” Albus said.

Amelia didn't look too happy about that particular distinction. It was then that she realized something. “You knew.”

“I don't know what you mean.” Albus hedged.

Amelia gave him a squinted look. “You wouldn't have come up with that explanation out of the blue or on such short notice.” She accused and Albus tried to look innocent. “You knew Quirrell was possessed.”

Albus didn't say anything.

“I suppose asking you how long you've known is a moot point, now that he's dead.” Amelia commented and Albus averted his gaze from hers. She took out her wand and looked at the boy in the bed. “Harry, I need you to close your eyes and concentrate on everything you just told me and think about all the incidents that happened, all right?”

Harry nodded and closed his eyes. He felt Amelia's wand on his temple and he played over everything that happened. He tried his best to not think about a few things, which meant that they were brought out as well and mixed in with the actual evidence.

“I'm done.” Amelia said and Harry opened his eyes to see her put a large vial of silvery glowing liquid in her pocket. “Get some rest. I may need to come back to talk some more about a few things.”

Harry nodded.

“Headmaster.” Amelia said and nodded at the tired looking old man, then smiled at the healer. “Poppy.”

*

Two days later, Harry was sitting down to eat when four people entered the Great Hall at Hogwarts. Everyone turned to see who it was, only to be shocked as the Minister of Magic, Lucius Malfoy, and two burly Aurors went right over to the Griffindor table to stand near Harry.

“Harry Potter, you are under arrest for various crimes. Surrender your wand... carefully... and stand up to be taken into custody.” One of the Aurors said.

“What's the meaning of this?” Minerva McGonagall asked as she strode over to them. She was slightly surprised that Albus wasn't saying anything or going with her.

“Deputy Headmistress, this is a ministry matter. Do not interfere.” Cornelius Fudge said.

“Harry, what's going on?” Hermione asked.

“I dunno.” Harry said and took out his wand.

The other Auror snatched it from him and tucked it away, then dragged him to his feet.

“HEY!” Hermione and Ron exclaimed as one and stood.

Lucius glared at the two children. “I assume that you two are this criminal's accomplices?”

“YES!” Draco's voice yelled in response.

Both Hermione and Ron blushed from embarrassment.

“Your parents will be getting missives from the Ministry and the school board in the next few days about your participation and aiding a criminal.” Lucius said with satisfaction as the two children sat with ducked heads.

“What did he do?” Minerva asked, sure that she really didn't want to know the answer.

“This is not the time or place for such things.” Lucius said. “Sensitive ears and the like abound.”

“You cannot come into a school and just start accusing students...”

Lucius sighed before Minerva could get a good head of steam going in her argument. “If you must know, the main charge is that he murdered a professor. Quirinus Quirrell, to be exact.”

The entire Great Hall full of students reacted. Most gasped, some let out a little shriek, and one girl in Slytherin fainted. She was faking it; but, it looked real enough.

“Before you start arguing, he confessed and gave memories of the event, proving his guilt.” Cornelius said, quite happy. “Let's go. We've disrupted this meal long enough.”

The four men started walking away with a sad young man in custody.

“When's the trial?” Someone shouted out.

“Tomorrow, considering it's just a formality at this point.” Lucius said as they went to the doors of the hall. “Notices will be sent for the witnesses.”

Everyone fell silent as they group exited the hall and the doors closed with a soft bang.

*

“Does anyone else wish to speak on the accused's behalf?” Albus asked as he presided over the farce of a trial. “Anyone at all?”

“I object to that plea.” Lucius said and stood. “Chief Warlock, your attempts at delaying the sentencing is getting annoying. All of the witnesses have spoken already and we had even more evidence of the boy's crimes. Let's get on with this so we can all go home to our families.”

“Hear hear!” Several other voices agreed.

Albus sighed. “Very well.” He looked at the eleven year old boy sitting in the chair with manacles on his wrists and ankles. “Harry James Potter, you have been found guilty of various charges, including murder, dragon smuggling, use of a dark artifact, using a blood ritual, aiding a Dark Lord's escape, and contributing to the slaughter of eight unicorns.”

As each word left the headmaster's mouth, Harry's heart plummeted. He didn't know much about anything; but, he did know that the more charges they heaped on you, the worse it was going to be.

“I now put the sentencing to a vote.” Albus said with a soft voice and waved his wand to create three targets above his head. “Please use your wands and light up the penalty you choose.”

Every single wand in the chamber was raised and a flurry of red sparks flew from the wizards voting to the targets. A lot of the Dark Faction members were actually smiling as they voted. When it was over a few moments later, Albus sighed dramatically. By law, there were only three options for a convicted murderer. Life in Azkaban, the Dementor's Kiss, and The Veil of Death.

“The majority has voted for life in Azkaban.” Albus declared.

“Barely!” Someone shouted out and everyone in the Dark Faction laughed.

“I'm so sorry, my boy.” Albus said as Harry was dragged out of the courtroom. The old man's eyes looked down at the floor and a tear came to his eye at the broken pieces of Harry's wand.

Not far away, Amelia had tears in her own eyes. She had only wanted justice done for a missing professor. Instead, she had ensured that an eleven year old Boy-Who-Lived was sent to the maximum security prison for the rest of his life. She never suspected that the Dark Faction would use the opportunity to twist everything around and make Harry into a scapegoat.

*

The others involved in the crimes were given much more leniency, thanks to Harry's full confession and memories. Hagrid was sentenced to a year in Azkaban in the minimum security wing for dragon smuggling. Hermione and Ron were only fined and given a year's probation instead of being charged, since they only assisted and didn't participate in the worst crimes. The Weasleys were hard pressed to pay off Ron's fine.

Hermione was transferred to Beaubatons in France, once her parents had learned just what she had gone through during the year. They did not appreciate her almost being killed by a fully grown mountain troll or contributing to the death of a teacher.

Minerva McGonagall was censured and lost the Deputy Headmistress position, thanks to her not protecting the students properly and ignoring their pleas for help. Albus Dumbledore was also censured for allowing all the dark artifacts and a possessed teacher into the school. He did not lose his job as Headmaster, however. He was too influential for that to happen.

On the other hand, Draco Malfoy was given an award for reporting the dragon smuggling, even though no one believed him at the time. Slytherin had won the House Cup as well and they celebrated that and getting rid of the Dark Lord's nemesis, Harry Potter.

*

Unlike the other prisoners that hollered and screamed as the Dementors roamed by and tortured them, Harry laid down in his cell and didn't move or speak. He felt the evil pull of the creatures every time, just like everyone else, except that he didn't have a whole lot of happiness for them to suck out of him. Once the happiness of having two friends at school was sucked out, all he had left were the horrible home life experiences and all of the bad and scary things he had gone through at Hogwarts.

*

Time passed and seemed to flow like water. The bowl of gruel that Harry was fed once a day, and the bitter cold in the cell, were constants that never changed. The sole prison uniform he had been given was flimsy and tore easily. It was also never replaced. Days and nights were spent shivering and sleepless, drifting in and out of consciousness as his body deteriorated and wasted away.

*

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

Harry's eyes never moved from their blank stare as the door to his cell was opened.

“Come on, you filthy rat!” A man's voice exclaimed. “GET UP!”

Harry didn't move. Why would he? It was just another daydream.

“Oh, for Merlin's sake!” A woman's voice shouted and there was a slapping sound. “What the hell did you do to that poor boy?!?”

“I didn't do anything!” The man's voice spat.

“YOU were SUPPOSED to TAKE CARE of HIM!” The woman yelled.

“I did! He's fed and he's still alive!” The man argued.

There was a sound of a crash and the man groaned.

“I hope you enjoyed running this place, because you're going to be spending a LONG time here!” The woman spat.

“You... you can't do that! I was just...”

“What? Following orders?” The woman's voice asked.

“Y-yes.” The man said, subdued.

“Ah, there's the lie.” The woman said. “I ordered you to take care of him and you let him rot away to nothing!”

“It's not... my... fault.”

“Oh, but it will be.” The woman said. “Aurors, cuff him and toss him into this cell until I decide when to file child abuse charges against him.”

“NO!” The man yelled and the sounds of a short scuffle ended with the man protesting vehemently.

Harry hadn't reacted at all to the sounds, not even when the woman walked over to him curled up on the floor.

“Oh, Merlin.” Amelia whispered as she looked at the frail boy. Her tears flowed as she carefully bundled him up in her cloak. His arms and legs didn't move from their positions, seemingly frozen with rigor mortis, despite Harry still being alive. She carefully lifted the bundle up and wanted to hug him so much. She had to fight her instincts, because she knew he would probably break apart if she tried.

Amelia walked out of the cell, her cheeks wet with tears. The Aurors with her, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, paled at the sight of the tiny bundle.

Tonks growled at the man she had cuffed, the warden of the prison, and pushed him into the cell. “Let's see how you like it!”

“NOOOOO!” The warden yelled.

He was ignored as the three people left the prison with their precious cargo.

*

“I'm sorry. There's nothing we can do.” The healer at St. Mungo's said.

“What do you mean there's nothing you can do?” Amelia asked.

“We can do our best to try and restore some of the boy's movement in the next month; but, there's not much point. His mind is gone. He doesn't react to any stimulation at all.” The healer said.

“Oh, my god.” Tonks moaned and rubbed her hands through her hair.

“What do we do now?” Kinglsey asked.

“We have no choice.” Amelia said, her voice almost cracking under the strain. “His name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Harry Potter has to compete in the Triwizard Tournament.”

*

Albus wasn't the only person that was curious when an old fashioned wheeled gurney was rolled into the Great Hall with a small wrapped bundle on top of it. That curiosity was turned to horror when the sheet was moved and the curled up and still form of Harry Potter was revealed. His muscles and tendons had atrophied and even after a month of muscle relaxing potions, the healers had barely made any progress in straightening his limbs.

Several people threw up, more than half of the girls in the room started crying, and almost none of them wanted to look.

Ron Weasley's face was covered in shock, because he thought Harry had somehow cheated and had his name put in the goblet. What he was looking at now, though... he knew he was a right prat for declaring it publicly. His twin brothers and his sister agreed with that and he felt two male fists hit his shoulders and a smaller female fist slammed into his gut.

“Here you are, Headmaster.” Amelia said in a quiet voice. “The Fourth Champion.”

Mad Eye Moody walked over to the gurney and his magical eye roamed over Harry. “You'd be better off putting him out of his misery.” He said and raised his wand.

Albus reached out and put a hand on the man's scarred hand. “I believe the magic of the cup will relieve us of this burden. You don't need to sully yourself with it.”

Moody grumbled and put his wand away.

“C-champions.” Minerva said, her voice cracking. “Please make your way to the tent for the first task.”

The three actual champions pointedly avoided looking at the gurney as they passed it to leave the Great Hall.

“Madam Bones, if you would.” Minerva whispered.

Amelia nodded and wheeled the boy back out of the room and the doors shut behind her.

*

The three champions completed their tasks to retrieve the golden egg and when Harry Potter's name was called, the entire stadium fell silent. The gurney was rolled out by Amelia, almost as if she was doing penance, and she cried and lightly touched the boy's forehead. She bent down and lightly kissed the spot, then walked back out of the arena. No one said a word until the half hour time limit expired.

“Harry Potter has... failed... to participate and complete the task.” Ludo Bagman said, his voice full of sadness.

There was a small flash of light from Harry Potter as he lost his magic. The sound of several loud wheezing and struggling breaths cut through the silence, then the breaths stopped.

*

19 years later.

“It just isn't the same without him.” Voldemort said as he walked through the wreckage and devastation that his Legion of Death Eaters had caused to yet another muggle city.

“I know what you mean, my lord.” Bellatrix said as she gripped his arm and walked regally at his side.

“Do you?” Voldemort asked.

“Yes. No battle is worth fighting if there is no one worthy to be fighting against.”

Voldemort smiled and nodded. “Exactly. It's been too easy without Harry foiling me.”

Bellatrix laughed softly. “Not Dumbledore?”

Voldemort shook his head. “No, he could never defeat me. The prophecy said so.”

“Each must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives.” Bellatrix quoted.

“If I hadn't confronted him in his first year as I possessed Quirrell, causing Harry's imprisonment for the man's death, none of this would have happened.” Voldemort said.

Bellatrix pulled him to a stop. “Do you regret it, my lord?”

Voldemort looked into her eyes and smiled. “I rule the wizarding world and will soon rule the muggle world, too.”

Bellatrix leaned in and kissed him. “That wasn't an answer.”

Voldemort laughed and Bellatrix laughed with him.

“Mummy! Daddy! Look what I found!” A young girl that looked like the spitting image of Bellatrix said as she ran over to them holding a snow globe with the White House in it.

“I thought I said to not take anything from my new office?” Voldemort asked.

“Did you, Daddy?” Delphi asked with a huge grin and hugged the snow globe.

The two parents laughed and hugged their little girl before going back inside the Oval Office. Voldemort had some calls to make because he had more nations to threaten.