This one is inspired by/takes a page from DerLaCroix's 'Cold Blood'

xxxxxxx

CH. 1: When an old man's schemes are vetoed

The bundle barely moved when Dumbledore set it on the doorstep of No. 4 Privet Drive, it's contents sound asleep for the time being.

"There, the Dursleys will wake up shortly and Harry will have a family to look after him. Let us go, Minerva, Hagrid." He motioned for the two to follow.

Both of them gave the slumbering baby one last last look before following, neither catching the borderline smug smile on his face as Hagrid got back on the motorcycle and he and Minerva apperated away.

Though, while THEY didn't catch it, that's not to say someone else didn't. The moment all three were out of sight, a corner of the yard began to warp and shimmer, revealing two other Wizards. One was dressed in a dark blue hooded robe, the other in a purple one.

"Sacre' blu! Zat man is a damn eediot!" The blue one muttered in, pulling back the hood to reveal a man in his late nineties, though his pencil mustache was free of grey, "'Ell, we've both seen what zees people are like! Zey hate anyzing zat doesn't match zer idea of 'normality'! And leaving an eenfant outzide at four in zee morning! In November! I told vou zat zees is why most of zee world thinks so poory of Magical Britan, Winslow."

"Calm yourself, Marcel." The purple clad one replied, removing his hood as well to reveal a balding man who looked as if he could give Dumbledore a run for his money in the age department, "That's precisely one of the reasons we're here, remember? Now hurry, the sooner we get him out of here, the better."

"Oui." The French wizard went over and scooped the baby up, taking care not to wake him. The moment he was secure, Marcel nodded to his associate and both men vanished as fast as they appeared, leaving no sign that adult nor infant had ever been there

xxxxxxxx

Meanwhile, atop a perch in the Headmaster's office of the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, a large red and gold bird looked up and chirped in befuddlement, (loosely translated) "Flippin' heck, anyone else feel the universe shift just then?"

xxxxxxxx

The two wizards reappeared in what resembled a sizable drawing room. At least it would have except for the strange geometric shape drawn in the middle of the floor, elaborate glyphs and writing lining it inside and out. The only bit of furniture was a table decorated with several crystals, each one letting off a pale yellow glow. At the table sat a woman with her auburn hair tied in a braid. She looked to be slightly younger than Marcel. Every so often she would tap one of the crystals with her wand and mutter somthing in Italian.

"Che capra barstardo sodomizzare!" She suddenly snarled, looking ready to use one or more of the crystals as a suppository on some unlucky fool.

"Zee scrying not going so well, Bianca?" Marcel asked.

"No, it went fine." She responded, "I finally got a feel for what that son of a motherless troll has planned for that poor boy; he knows damn well Voldemort will return sooner or later, and he expects Harry to deal with it! The Dursley's are just to ensure he's meek and pliable so he has complete trust in the man when he 'rescues' him in eleven years. That..that..rah! I can't even think of an insult horrible enough for him! All because of a stupid prophecy made by a half-drunk woman. As far as he's concerned, Harry is nothing more than a weapon!" She almost tossed the chair aside when she got up, though she calmed down a bit when she saw what Marcel was carrying, "Is that..."

"Indeed, zay allo too 'Arry Zhames Potter." He couldn't help but chuckle when the woman squeaked out a small 'aww' as she took him.

When she did, however, a note tucked into the blanket was jostled loose, catching Winslow's eye. He picked it up, and recognizing the handwriting, opened it. His brow furrowed in irritation when he read it.

Bianca was the first to hear the old man's angry snort. "What's that?"

"A note from that fool, Dumbledore, to the Dursleys. It says the Potters are dead and Harry is their responsibility. But, he has the terminity to say Harry isn't to know anything about the wizarding word and that they're to use whatever means they see fit to make sure he doesn't stand up for himself!" He immediantly drew his wand and incinerated it. " Humph! 'Know anything'. Albus has always been a selfish brat when it comes to knowledge, thinking only he can comprehend something, therefore others can't have it."

"Indeed, 'e thinks only 'e knows Reedle performed rituals to keep eemself tied to ze living world. 'Is defeat today 'as only put him out of our 'air for now." Marcel muttered.

"Which is why we've all agreed this must be done. When that time comes, people are going to need a hero, not a martyr which I'm willing to bet he expects Harry to be. And Riddle was no slouch in the power department, so it's only fair we give little Harry here a helping hand. Bianca, has Lucas returned with the necessary materials?"

"Right here, Winslow." A fourth voice called out, followed by a man who looked to be barely in his fifties dragging a trunk with multiple locks on it, "Took a bit of negotiating, but the goblins were willing to part with it all." He smiled as he set it down in front of Winslow and opened the locked one by one.

"Zut alors! They actually let you leave with zees?" Mercal whistled under his breath.

Lucas rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "Thankfully their giving me three years to pay it all off." He had to fight back a laugh when Winslow opened the last lock and both of them swore.

"Lu..Lucas..is that what it looks like?"

"Yep, I told you Lucas Nimarah never does anything halfway!" He grinned as cheesily as he could.

"Ah yes..well, I guess we best get started."

xxxxxxxx

Back at Hogwarts, the same bird nearly fell off his perch, squawking in alarm, (There is is again! What the hell is going on!)

xxxxxxxx

Before anyone starts up about me starting another, working this one has actually helped me get back into the swing of things with my other HP fics.

And to nip it in the bud before it starts, I know Marcel's accent is most likely off, but Fleur's is the only French accent I've ever really read, so I'm mostly by how it sounds to me personally.