Hello!

I don't know if anyone will read this, but I just wanted to say that thank you for clicking on my story. This is my first one published here. R&R, everyone. I'd like the long and constructive ones, though I'm not picky :)

Also, there's something funny going on with the chapter titles and the story title. If anyone catches that, I'll raise my hat.

The next chapter should be here in a week.

Thank you,

Ignorant Limelight.

Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is J.K. Rowlings' and her company's, not mine. What you don't recognize, however, is mine.

THE OUTLAW TORN

Chapter One – The Memory Remains

Almost twelve years after the prophecy had been made a young boy sat in his room, reading a letter written to a neat piece of parchment in green ink. The boy had pitch black hair that stood up worse that the guitarist of the Weird Sisters after a solo. His emerald eyes were brighter that anyone else's, except maybe his mother's.

"We'll be expecting your owl in the 31st of June at the latest", the boy read out loud in wonder. "It's the 31st today. It's my and Gabriel's birthday."

"Mum! Dad!" the boy shouted as he ran to the kitchen. "I got my Hogwarts' letter!"

"Harry, be quiet, we're making a cake to Gabriel", Lily Potter scolded. "It's his birthday today, and we want to surprise him."

Harry stopped and visibly grew back. He was fingering the corners of his letter nervously and gulped. "It's my birthday too, mum."

"But Harry, Gabriel is the Child of the Prophecy. Surely you understand he's more important?" Harry's father James asked with a fake smile on his face. "Help us, move his presents to the living-room."

"Yes, sir. I'll just send a reply to Hogwarts."

Harry wrote that he accepted his position in Hogwarts and sent the family owl Achilles away. He went downstairs to the hall, where was a big pile of presents. Fifteen, Harry counted quickly. Fifteen big presents that no doubt were all to Gabriel. Harry wouldn't even have to read the cards to know that he had been forgotten yet again on a special day.

One birthday Harry had asked why Gabriel was the "chosen one", even though they had the same birthday. He was given a dodgy "he came first" - answer, and the patented "shut-up-and-serve-your-brother" - look.

Even though their parents were what they were, Harry's big brother - by two years – Gabriel was everything Harry could wish for.

For one, on his sixth birthday (Gabe's eighth) their parents would've taken Gabriel to a muggle amusement park for a day. Harry had been locked to the cellar already, when Gabe had noticed that his little brother hadn't been there. At that moment Gabriel had understood how messed up their family was. The only moments when James and Lily had been "kind" to Harry had been because of Gabriel.

Harry would never admit it, since he loved his brother immensely, but Gabriel wasn't completely blameless. Due to the kindness from his parents Gabe believed with his whole heart that one day their parents would see the "light" and apologize. Because of that reason Gabriel didn't really stand up to his parents, for they still were that to him.

In a way Harry separated the two Gabriels in his mind. There was Gabe, his great big brother who he looked up to, and then there was Gabriel, Lily and James' little angel.

After a big sigh Harry grabbed the first present and started to carry it upstairs. James and Lily could've carried the presents up with magic, but in their twisted heads it would be better if Harry "helped" his brother who would one day have a heavy burden upon him.

Harry could use his magic too, he didn't have a wand yet so he could do magic without consequenses. On the other hand, if his parents saw...

"Wingardium leviosa", Harry whispered and the packages started floating in the air. He guided them with his thoughts up the stairs and followed.

Just as he had set the presents down, he heard a terrible screech.

"Harry! What the heck you think you're doing?" Lily asked angrily and Harry turned around frightened.

"I just thought... it would be faster - "

"Magic! And underage! Gabriel would never do this!"

"Mum, let Harry be", Gabriel, who had just came, defended Harry. "I'm sure he didn't mean to."

Harry looked gratefully at his brother, who had inherited his mother's looks except for the eyes. It made Harry frightened sometimes.

"Oh, Gabriel. You're an exceptional brother, but what Harry did was wrong. I don't understand where you've gotten influenced like that! Go to your room, boy!"

"But - "

"Now, Harry!"

Gabriel looked at Harry with forgiveness, but didn't oppose his mother. Harry smiled signaling that there was no grugde, and left to his little room. The room was small, it barely fit in a bed, a small writing table and a cabinet.

Harry got on with the thought that he would soon go to Hogwarts, and wouldn't have to stand Lily and James anymore.

If anyone asked Harry, he would be ready to go to an orphanage, if James and Lily woud give a permission or Gabe would come with him. But, no, it was 'bad publicity'. The Potter name was important and had to be carried with proudness. Not that anything Harry did would ever please mister and mistress Potter.

He would gladly live with Sirius, even, or Remus had he not been working in Hogwarts. It was basically the two of them and Gabe that had raised Harry. In Harry's opinion, Sirius and Remus were his parents. The moment Harry realized that it wasn't normal to favour one child while outcasting the other, he had stopped calling Lily and James mum and dad.

He was mad that no one saw what was happening. Whenever he tried to talk about it, he'd just get a pitying look and someone would say thet 'they'll come to their senses'.

Harry hated pity. Pity never got him anywhere.

"Harry?"

Harry shook awake. "Gabe?"

"Yeah. You know what, why don't we go to Diagon Alley to buy our school supplies? And I know what to buy you for a present", Gabe smirked.

"They don't want to take me, right?"

"It's not about that, Harry. I want to take you. They'll come the their senses eventually."

On the first of September it was nearly eleven o'clock, when the Potter family arrived at the King's Cross Station platform Nine and Three Quarters. Harry had taken the liberty to go ahead while his parents were saying goodbye to Gabriel. Remus wasn't there, because he was a teacher and therefore at the castle already, and Sirius had to be at work, he was an Auror.

The shrill of the whistle pierced the air and the students got on the train. Gabe ran to Harry and the looked for a train compartment, which they found relatively easily.

"Just a few words for your first school year, kiddo. I'm proud of you, don't get into trouble, and be polite to the professors."

Harry smirked. "Of course, Gabe. I'll take care of myself and make history! One day I'll be bigger than the Marauders, believe it!"

"That's the wrong kind of history, idiot. School is important, especially if you know what you're going to do when you grow up."

"And you know?"

"Kind of", Gabe shrugged and smiled crookedly. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot! Remus told me to give this to you", he said and took a small wrap of brown paper from his pocket.

Harry opened it carefully. "A bunch of little mirrors?"

"Those four mirrors have a connection, like muggles' telephones. Give those to your future friends, so you can talk anywhere. Apparently it comes in handy in detentions, the Marauders used them, you know..."

"Thanks, Gabe!"

"Don't thank me, little brother", he smiled and ruffled Harry's hair. "I'm just a messenger. Send Remus a letter."

Harry sat more comfortably and took a book from his bag. However he couldn't concentrate. "Listen, Gabe, I'm a bit worried. What if I have to go to Slytherin?" Harry asked quietly. "I don't want to be a Slytherin."

"You can influence the Hat's choice. It would've put me in Gryffindor, but I wanted to be a Ravenclaw."

"Why would you want that? Everyone in our family has been a Gryffindor!"

Gabe shrugged. "I wanted to do something different. Look, I'm going to find Jackson, wait here."

The more confident Harry started to read his book called "Advanced Charms". When Harry was little, he had had free time a lot, so he had read. He had mumbled the incantations of some spells and to his wonder noticed that they worked, even though he hadn't had a wand. He had in a momentarily lapse of judgement used a spell called "bombardment" and, as a result he had been locked to the cellar for a week.

"Excuse me, can I - "somebody started asking, but stopped. "Is that a book about Tutshill Tornados?" he asked incrediously.

"Yes, it's my favourite team", Harry answered.

"Your favourite, c'mon!" the blonde boy laughed. "They suck!"

Harry stood up. "They do not! Who do you support, the Chudley Cannons?"

The boy closed the compartment door and marched up to Harry. "They suck even worse. I'm all for Falmouth Falcons."

"They haven't won anything for ages! Tutshill Tornados hold the record of the fastest win ever!" Harry defended.

"By accident!" the boy protested loudly.

"There's no proof!"

Both of them stared at each other seriously. "I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

"Potter?" the boy asked a bit distastefully. "My father says you're all muggle-loving idiots."

Harry felt a bit anger for that, but kept it inside him. "And you are?"

"Draco Malfoy", he said.

"My father says that you're a dark family, Voldemort's supporters", Harry said reserverdly.

Neither of them knew what to say after that. "I hate my family, but I'm not dark", Harry said.

Draco looked at him calculatively to see if he was just pulling his tail. He seemed to decide that Harry was serious. "I don't want to be dark."

"Then don't. It's that easy", Harry smiled.

Draco shook his head. "With a family like mine, either you're a supporter or you stop breathing."

"That doesn't sound like family to me", Harry said quietly. "You can always choose to make your own way."

Draco snorted. "That's cheesy."

Harry grinned. "Maybe, but it's true. I've already separated myself from my family."

"Why? I though all the Potters were good, Dumbledore- and muggle-loving saints", Draco asked only a tad sardonically.

To that Harry had to scoff. "Not my family. So, what do you say to a game of Exploding Snap?"

Draco tilted his head, and then nodded enthusiastically.

The train trip had gone by fast, and before they could process the fact that they were in Hogwarts, they were already pushed ahead by a large group of first-graders, up to the castle and in the Great Hall. Harry and Draco were standing next to each other, nervously waiting for their turn to be sorted.

Harry was too nervous to really note who had gotten in what house (the back of his head pointed out that Seamus Finnigan and Hermione Granger had been made Gryffindors), but rather watched Remus at the teachers' table. Remus smiled encouraged him by Marauder shorthand that Harry had been taught few years back by Sirius.

"Malfoy, Draco", McGonagall hollered.

Harry wished good luck and watched as Draco walked to the stool and put the hat on.

Five minutes had already passed, and the hat had yet to make a noise. Harry was getting fidgety, as was about everyone else.

A few minutes later until it finally opened it's mouth and shouted out...

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The look on Malfoy's face was more staggered than everyone else's combined. A deathly silence had filled the Great Hall, and it was broken by McGonagall who told Malfoy to go to his respective table. He walked there silently and glanced at Harry with wide eyes. Draco was sure he was going to get slaughtered.

Meanwhile Harry kept grinning like he was insane. He felt already better, and just if he could get himself in Gryffindor, everything would be alright.

But what if he couldn't get in Gryffindor? What if he was made a Slytherin? His family would disown him... He'd much rather go home.

'No', Harry thought darkly. 'I'd take Slytherin over Godric's Hollow any day.'

"Potter, Harry!"

Harry snapped back into reality and walked to the stool weakly. McGonagall put the hat on.

"My, oh my, haven't you been through much. A very brave one you are, son. You have intelligence, that is a valuable trait. Loyality, yes. Slyness is not a trait lost on you, either. It seems you have the qualification to every house. This is rare, son... very rare indeed... but what house do you belong in? Hmm... what house do you want to belong, son?"

"Gryffindor", Harry thought. "My friend is there, and Sirius and Remus were there. I belong there."

"You do, do you? Remember me, son, for you will be something big one day, as you will be a... GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry grinned and ran to his table. When he sat down, he caught Remus' eye and they exchanged a silent conversation in Marauder sign language.

"Yes!" Remus signed. "You happy?"

"Of course, you lamebrained old chimp", Harry answered with only one sign.

"Talk later", Remus finished with a grin and returned to watch the sortings.

Harry also saw Gabriel in the Ravenclaw table, and saluted him. Gabriel smiled and saluted back, mouthing 'congratulations'.

Harry was the happiest he had been in a long time.

In total, there were nine new Gryffindors this year.

There were four other guys besides Draco and Harry in Gryffindor. There was Dean Thomas who constantly talked about muggle football. Harry had once watched a game when visiting his cousin, and didn't think much of it. Then there was Seamus Finnigan, an eager magician (although still rather crummy), who had already managed to scorch his eyebrows.

Neville Longbottom, the third one, Harry remembered vaguely from his childhood. Neville seemed like a timid guy, but the Sorting Hat was never wrong. Harry believed Neville had the courage hidden in him and it just waited outleashing.

The fourth and final boy was Ron Weasley, a red-headed kid who liked to eat. When they had talked about family, Ron had told that he had five brothers and a sister who would come to Hogwarts in a year. Harry already knew the Weasley twins, Fred and George, because he had visited Remus in school and had ran into them a few times, one time saving them from Filch. Percy was the oldest Weasley in school, and according to the twins, a pompous jerk.

"I can't wait to begin Defence Against the Dark Arts", Draco said after taking a large gulp from his pumpkin juice.

"Same here. Hope the teacher isn't rubbish. My brother's been here for two years and told that both of the teachers were a big joke."

"I think Potions is going to be great", Draco said. "My godfather said that I have a talent."

"Lucky you", Fred Weasley chimed in. "Snape, the teacher, is biased to Slytherin and hates Gryffindors."

"I don't think it's going to be such a problem", Draco said slyly. Harry looked at him curiously. "Snape is my godfather", he said.

"What? Old greasy-hair is your godfather?" George was gobsmacked. "That's right, you're a Malfoy. Say, what are you doing in Gryffindor?"

Draco frowned. "I don't want to be a Slytherin."

"What a jolly chap!" Fred laughed.

"This one has sense", George agreed.

Harry smiled and continued to eat.

Harry didn't have much opinions about the girls. Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had announced themselves best friends immediately. Hermione Granger was the third girl, and she wasn't that obnoxious. She seemed a bit – enthusiastic about school and pestered Percy with her questions about magic and Hogwarts, it was obvious she was a muggleborn. Harry didn't think Percy minded the questions, though. He though Percy might've enjoyed someone taking school as seriously as Hermione did.

He was made a bit uncomfortable by how Albus Dumbledore kept watching him. Every time he looked back at him, he noticed that Dumbledore was suddenly looking at his food or talking to someone. Harry wrote the suspicion off as him being nervous and decided to focus on eating.

His near future was looking good.