This fic was inspired by 'Thank you Lord Voldemort' by Resqgal to whom most of the main ideas belong (Harry's new name, how he becomes trapped in the past ...etc), I have 'borrowed' them with permission. I'd recommend everyone to read her original.

Chapter 1

In 1997

Harry, Ron and Hermione found an empty carriage on the Hogwarts Express and sat down. Hermione got out Hogwarts: A History and Ron and book on Wizarding chess while Harry sat staring out of the window at the people still boarding and their families waving goodbye. Over the summer Ron and Hermione had finally confessed their feelings to each other and gotten together. Ron had matured greatly that summer, mentally as well as physically. He had reached a staggering six foot five and was muscular from quidditch practice. Hermione had also grown. She was now five foot six and very curvy. Her hair was no longer frizzy but sleek and fell in ringlets. Harry had finally had a growth spurt with the aid of nutrition potions. Quidditch and all his chores at the Dursleys had given him a nicely toned body. He had grown his hair out so that it reached his chin and the faint reddish highlights it had always possessed were more visible. If you looked into his eyes then you would see a soul older than the body it inhabited, they had a haunted look to them. Harry had built up masks to cover his real emotions long ago and his eyes were the only place you could read the truth if you knew how. He no longer looked like his father. His was his own person and you would not be able to tell his parentage just by looking.

As he watched the trees whiz past his mind wandered back to his seventeenth birthday. When Harry had been picked up by the Dursley's from King's Cross and taken back to Privet Drive he had sensed that this was not going to be a good summer. That had been an understatement. It had been hell. As soon as they entered the house Harry and his trunk had been thrown into the cupboard under the stairs. He had not been let out until the following day whereupon he was given a list of chores to completed by the time Vernon returned home. The list was so long it was physically impossible to complete in time even given Harry's familiarity with the chores. When Vernon came home and saw that Harry had not finished he punched him in the stomach. Harry fell to the floor winded. Vernon kicked him a few times and then he was locked back in his cupboard until the next day. Harry gingerly felt his chest. He had broken a rib. Concentrating Harry directed his magic inside himself to heal it. He had been doing it for years, even before he knew that magic was real. He could not afford to do it too often though, only so that he would be able to do his chores without too much pain or difficulty. Vernon might decide to step up the beatings if he thought that Harry could heal himself or he might become too weak to heal himself. The beatings too were nothing new to Harry. They had been happening for as long as he could remember but had gotten worse since he started Hogwarts as he was only at Privet Drive for the summer it seemed that Vernon felt like he had to make the most of those six weeks.

So the rhythm of the summer went until Harry's seventeenth birthday. The day before Vernon had lost a major deal to a rival company so he had come home in a foul temper. He saw Harry trying to blend into the background and had layed into him. The beating had gone on for hours until finally at ten minutes to twelve he had thrown Harry's barely conscious body into the cupboard. As the clock struck twelve Harry smiled. It was barely a slight curve of the lips but it was there. His face, however, was so bruised and swollen that it was impossible to see.

A flash of power swept through Harry and suddenly he vanished.

He apparated to the one place he knew would have people who could help him in. The Burrow.

He appeared in the Weasley's living room, startling Mr and Mrs Weasley. Mr Weasley whipped out his wand and had it pointed at Harry in a heartbeat.

"Who are you? How did you get past our wards?" He asked harshly.

"Mr Weasley, it's Harry." He breathed and then collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Mrs Weasley screamed and rushed over to the battered child. Molly's scream woke the entire house. When Ron came downstairs he took one look at Harry and swore loudly.

"Those Dursleys. I'm going to kill them." He growled.

"His family did this to him?" Arthur asked his youngest son in disbelief.

At Ron's stiff nod his face went red and he marched over to the fireplace. Throwing a handful of floo powder into the flames he called "Albus Dumbledore's Office, Hogwarts."

He stuck his head in the fire and after a brief conversation Dumbledore came through into the crowded living room quickly followed by Severus Snape. Poppy Pomfrey was on holiday visiting her family so Snape was the next best person to help.

Dumbledore bent down over Harry and whispered, "I'm so sorry, my boy. I had no idea. Forgive an old man his mistakes." He didn't even seem to notice the tears running down his face as he apologised to the unconscious boy he loved like a grandson.

Even Snape stopped to look at The Boy Who Lived. Apparently he had been mistaken in his belief that Potter was worshipped by his family. He was nothing like his father either. He had more of his mother in him. The boy was so similar to…No it couldn't be him. It simply couldn't. It was impossible. Potter was nothing like him. But the suspicion never left him and he vowed to watch the Gryffindor for signs very closely from now on.

Harry had passed out from the pain of his injuries after he had spoken to Arthur so they cleaned his wounds, healed and repaired what they could before putting him into bed gently.

Over the next two weeks Harry's body was mended and he began to enjoy his stay at the Burrow. He had been forced to take Skele-Grow to mend all the broken bones but he still refused to talk about what had happened. He was different. Quieter. More withdrawn and studious. Ron, however, filled the rest of them in on what he and Hermione had picked up, such as the toothpicks for Christmas and bars on his window besides the fact that Harry never wanted to return and always came back thin, almost emaciated but it was difficult to tell when he was wearing robes and Harry always made sure to change his clothes in the bathroom before everyone else woke up. Hermione arrived two days after Harry, Ron had owled her and she came as quickly as she could.

Harry had finished his homework early in the summer, without any encouragement from Hermione and to a much better standard than he had ever been able to before. The Gryffindor girl had been shocked when Harry had decided to stay inside doing his homework and studying rather than go outside and play quidditch on her first day. She had immediately gone over to Ron and demanded to know what had happened to her friend. Ron had explained the situation to her sadly and the two friends had made a pact then and there to support Harry no matter what.

Ron's side of the pact had been tested slightly when Ginny had tried to kiss Harry. She still hadn't gotten over her crush. Harry had no interest in her, he saw her as a sister and nothing else. Ron had been angry that his friend had hurt his sister but when Harry explained why he relaxed and forgave him instantly. His sister just wasn't Harry's type. Ron had gently informed his sister subtly that Harry just wasn't interested and had received a very relieved thank you from said friend.

Harry was rudely dragged out of his thoughts by Draco Malfoy's arrogant voice at the doorway, "Oh look! It's Saint Potty, Weaselby and the Mudblood."

Ron moved to grab his wand and hex the Slytherin but Harry motioned for him to stop. Ron went back to his book, the tips of his ears glowing red. Harry just continued to stare out of the window idly, ignoring the boy. After a while, Malfoy, realising that he would not get a response, left, taking his two bodyguards with him

Harry got out a book on duelling and said to Ron, "He's not worth it. He acts like a child and insults us to provoke a reaction. If we ignore him he will go away. He gets bored easily after all." Before opening the book. They read in silence until they had to change into their school robes.

Ron was a little shocked by this new Harry but accepted it. Seeing his friend, his brother in everything but blood, lying on the floor beaten by his own 'family' had forced him to re-evaluate his own outlook on life. He now thought before he spoke and was no longer jealous of Harry for having more money than him. He knew that Harry would gladly swap places with him in a heartbeat.

As they watched the first-years walk in behind McGonagall Harry felt a pair of eyes on him. He looked up curiously and saw that Snape was looking at him strangely, he wasn't sneering or glaring, simply staring. Once he noticed Harry looking at him he sneered and turned his gaze back to the Sorting.

Once all the new students were sat at their House Tables Albus Dumbledore stood up and gave his usual start of year speech.

Harry quickly scanned the Staff Table to see who the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor was going to be this year. He saw Remus Lupin sat next to Hagrid and caught his eye. He smiled and stuck up his thumbs. Lupin smiled back, winked and inclined his head in thanks.

"… and let us welcome Professor Lupin back as our Defence Against the Dark Arts professor." The headmaster finished.

Remus Lupin stood up and bowed slightly. The whole school cheered. The Gryffindors, of course, were the loudest.

Dumbledore clapped his hands together and the feast appeared. Harry didn't eat as much as Ron, or even Hermione. His stomach still wasn't back to normal and he knew that if he ate any more he would be sick. He would never be a big eater. He had been starved too long for that.

The headmaster dismissed them and Harry made his way to Gryffindor Tower alone because Ron and Hermione had to show the first-years the way.

The next morning they were given their timetables for the following year.

Hermione had been forced to elbow Harry to get his attention when McGonagall arrived.

"What?" He asked grumpily.

"You were practically falling asleep over your breakfast. Did you not sleep well last night?" His friend asked concernedly.

"Fine 'Mione." Harry replied but he could tell from the look she gave him that she didn't believe him. In truth he hadn't slept at all. Every time he closed his eyes he saw flashes from Death Eater meetings. Knowing Occlumency only stopped false visions but since the resurrection of Voldemort using Harry's blood their connection had been stronger and now Harry was plagued almost daily with visions of Death Eater meetings. It gave him valuable information that sometimes even Snape wasn't privy to because it came from Voldemort's own mind. 'No wonder I'm strange.' Harry thought in amusement. 'I spend half the night in somebody else's head.' Needless to say silencing charms had become a necessity for entirely different reasons than why the other boys in the dorm had them. Every curse Voldemort cast on a Death Eater or victim Harry felt as though it had been cast on him. A skill with potions had been the only think that came from the pain. Nothing was better than necessity to motivate someone into doing something correct.

Ron looked over Harry's shoulder and read his timetable, "Oooh I pity you mate. Double Potions with the Slytherins first thing. I'm so glad I got an 'A' and not an 'O'."

Harry just smirked at Ron. Snape wasn't so bad. He had saved Harry's life many times over. Professor Snape had brewed all the potions that had healed Harry at the Weasleys and had administered most of them too. When Harry had woken up the first morning Snape had been there. He hadn't said anything, just handed him a potion and left after making sure that he was comfortable. He hadn't returned but sent more potions by owl, including the nutrition potion. Harry had been extremely grateful for that.

The bell rang and Harry and Hermione grabbed their book bags and hurried down to the dungeons.

Professor Snape walked in after the last student was seated and stalked up to the front of the room when he levelled a glare at the group. "Welcome to NEWT Potions. How some of you came to be in this class I will never know but it is my job to make sure that you pass the exam at the end of the year. Anyone fooling around will be forced to leave and will not return." He threatened looking at the Gryffindor side of the class.

During the lesson Snape, as usual, walked up and down the cauldrons inspecting the contents of each as he passed. He had praised the Slytherin's and condemned all the Gryffindor's apart from Hermione before he reached Harry's. He stopped and peered into the bubbling cauldron. Then he looked at Harry sharply, silently assessing. Whatever he saw mush have shocked or angered him as he merely nodded and continued on without comment. Harry checked his potion. It was perfect, he was sure of it. Was that what had made Snape angry? That he couldn't yell at him?

It had been pure luck that he had gotten an 'O' in the OWL's. The potion that he had been set was one that he had been forced, by necessity, to brew many times over the years before he returned to the Dursleys. The bell rang and they packed up their things hurriedly.

They had transfiguration next so Harry and Hermione walked together up through the dungeons to the stern Head of Gryffindor's classroom. About fifteen minutes into the lesson Harry noticed that Professor McGonagall was staring at him. He looked down and checked his uniform. Nothing wrong with it. He ran his hand over his face. It was clean. He met the woman's gaze questioningly. To his surprise she smirked at him in amusement. Harry frowned in confusion but she merely nodded seemingly to herself and after a smile at Harry started to walk around the room, checking on the students' progress with furniture transfiguration. Still wondering why his professor had acted so strangely Harry took out his wand and absently transfigured his desk into a cat. It was only when the cat wound its way round Harry's legs and almost made him fall over did he notice it. The professor reached him at that point and looked down at his transfigured desk currently batting at Harry's robes, "Well done, Mr Potter. You seem to have a gift for transfiguration. Something I believe you share with your father although I never saw him turn a desk into a cat without paying attention." She finished in admiration. Harry blushed and quickly turned his tabby cat back into a wooden desk.

Even Flitwick seemed to act a little strangely around Harry. When he called the register he looked up at Harry and began to chuckle quietly. He had commented that Harry had a gift for charms, as had his mother after a particularly difficult lesson where only Harry and Hermione, after a couple of attempts, had managed to complete the task.

After the first week the teachers were perfectly normal around Harry and acted as though nothing had happened. Snape, however, continued to watch Harry, oblivious to the amused and sympathetic glances from some of the other teachers.

On the way to Transfiguration after Potions on the third week of term Harry turned to Hermione and asked, "'Mione, don't you think that Snape has been acting strange lately?"

"Well, he's been ignoring you in class, not picking on you like he used to. He's also been looking at you oddly, just watching as though you are a puzzle he wants to figure out." She answered thoughtfully, deciding to keep a closer eye on the Potions Master in future.

"It's weird. I wonder why?" Harry mumbled mainly to himself.

The third week of term began and Harry was in the dungeons brewing a 'Deep Slumber' potion.

He turned his back to the cauldron to pick up the pinch ground unicorn horn that needed to be added in a minute. Whilst his back was turned Draco Malfoy threw boomslang skin into Harry's cauldron unnoticed by Harry or Snape. Harry turned back, added the unicorn hair and began to stir. His potion began to bubble and smoke. The bottom of his cauldron began to melt.

Snape heard it and spun around. He looked at the cauldron and yelled, "Everybody get down!"

The whole class hit the floor but Harry wasn't quick enough. The cauldron exploded and the contents flew everywhere, hitting Harry.

It burned his skin. Harry began to scream. Then he disappeared in a flash of bright white light.

No one else in the room heard as Snape whispered, "It is him," to himself, they were stunned. Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, their only hope for defeating Voldemort, had vanished. Hermione was uncontrollably sobbing in the corner. Even Draco Malfoy was staring at the destroyed cauldron with wide eyes. He had only intended to create a small explosion. One that would get Potter a detention with Snape, payback for ignoring him on the train.

Snape quickly took charge. "Granger, go and tell the headmaster that Mr Potter has vanished. If you tell him that Mr Potter has just 'dropped in' on someone then he will understand." He told the inconsolable girl in a not unkind voice. She immediately jumped up and practically ran out of the room. 'I will have to go and see Albus myself later.'

Meanwhile in 1977

The seventh year Gryffindor and Slytherin class were brewing 'Pepper-Up' potion to replenish Madam Pomfrey's depleted supplies. One boy on the Slytherin side of the room was concentrating on drowning out the comments of two Gryffindors on the other side of the room. He had been forced to deflect a number of flying objects during the course of the lesson but had still managed to produce two cauldron-fulls of the potion and was close to finishing a third when there was a sudden flash of white light, which made the class cover their eyes for protection.

A boy with emerald green eyes and burnt Hogwarts robes appeared, knocking over a cauldron as he landed. Its contents flowed over the floor splashing others but no one took any notice. The entire class went silent and gaped at the new arrival. He lifted his head slowly, cautiously and looked around curiously when he didn't hear anyone yelling at him. He saw the boy whose cauldron he had upset and his eyes went wide in astonishment. A noise from the other side of the room caught his attention, slowly turning his head and frowning he spotted a group of Gryffindors at the far end of the room, closest to the door. His reaction was immediate the boy went pale and lost consciousness, slumping back to the ground. The three Gryffindor's looked at each other shrugging in confusion.

"Mr Snape, considering your potion is now ruined, would you please take our visitor here to the Hospital Wing and then go inform the headmaster about our new arrival." The Potions professor, Professor Slughorn, asked the Slytherin.

"Yes, sir." The dark haired boy, Severus Snape, replied, taking out his wand and levitating the unconscious boy up to Madam Pomfrey before travelling to the stone gargoyle to inform Dumbledore, who met him at the base of the statue, about the boy who had 'dropped in' on their lesson before going back to his lessons. However he could not concentrate all day, the memory of those emerald green eyes and the shock written on the other's face when he looked at him was all that he could think about. 'I am sure that Dumbledore will give us some answers tonight.' Was the only thought that could reconcile him as he continued to wonder about the newest occupant of the Hospital Wing.