Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, but I do own the Original Character within this story.

Warnings: OOCness, mentions of child abuse (I do not condone child abuse in any way), violence, some language. Alternate Universe and rated T to be safe for language and violence.

A/N: This timeline is different than from the books. In this timeline, Voldemort succeeded in the coming back during Harry's first year which resulted in him killing Quirell.

A/N: October 11, 2018 – I have decided to finally sit down and rewrite this story. Please note that some chapters will be rewritten completely, while others will remain nearly untouched as it wasn't necessary for me to rewrite every chapter due to the changes that were made during the rewrite.

For those that have waited for this update, I apologize again and again for seeming to keep putting it off. But inspiration has evaded me for quite some time and only now has decided to return once again to me.

At Last, a Family

-1-

Harry hurt all over; there wasn't a part of him that didn't scream in pain as he walked towards Hogwarts. That was another matter that he had yet to address, why he was at Hogwarts a week before the term was set to begin. He couldn't seem to find a good enough reason that Dumbledore would have sent Hagrid to collect him before the other students. He thought for a few seconds that it could have been due to what had occurred at the end of his first year but when he left no one had seemed too concerned with the fact that Dark Lord had once again returned from the dead.

He was shaken from his thoughts as a wave of pain ran through his body causing him to practically collapse against the cool stone walls of the hallway. Hagrid didn't seem to notice from what Harry had observed and that suited Harry just fine. From what he had learned in his 12 years of life was that when people asked too many questions, he got hurt. And he had had enough of being hurt thank you very much. He mentally made a note to himself that he would have to heal his back as soon as he could…though he wondered if he could somehow get Madam Pomfrey to heal it for him; if he managed to come up with an excuse that is.

Harry quickly caught up with Hagrid as they stood in front of the gargoyle that guarded to stairwell. Hagrid looked down at Harry and smiled at the young wizard, patting his head gently before speaking.

"This is where I leave ya' lad, Dumbledore will take it from here. Just be sure ya' visit me 'fore everyone else gets here for the year," Hagrid spoke softly, before turning back towards the gargoyle, "Licorice."

Harry just smiled and nodded at Hagrid as he began to climb the stairs towards the Headmaster's office. Hagrid smiled again before the gargoyle blocked him from view as Harry turned his focus what lied ahead of him.

The door swung open and he entered. Dumbledore was at his desk, looking at him with his half-moon glasses. He took notice that the Headmaster wasn't the only one in the room. Harry recognized his Head of House, Professor McGonagall and his Potion's Professor, Professor Snape. But he was confused with the addition of two adults that he didn't recognize. One was an older man that was short brown hair and eyes that Harry almost recognized. But it was the other adult in the room that kept his attention.

Harry felt himself freeze completely as he looked at the woman that was sitting beside Professor Snape. He blinked a few times before his brain seem to finally catch up with him as a single thought ran through his mind…

'She looks like Mum…'

Before school had ended last year, Hagrid had gifted Harry with a photo album, where after the first time in years he was finally able to see his parents for the first time. And the woman that he was staring at could be his Mum's twin…well almost.

Her hair seems to be a darker red than his Mum's was and her eyes seemed to glow a brighter green. But the resemblance was there and Harry couldn't help but wonder if anyone else could see it too.

"Harry, please have a seat my dear boy." Dumbledore said, making Harry jump and earning him a glare from the other teachers in the room for frightening the boy.

"No thank you sir, I would prefer to stand." He asked, finally taking his eyes away from the unknown woman and turning his attention to the Headmaster.

"I see that you have noticed your new Defense assistant?" Dumbledore asked, folding his hands underneath his chin and looking at Harry; narrowing his eyes when he saw the glamours swirling around the boy in front of him.

"Assistant?" Harry asked, not even bothering to hide his confusion as he completely forgot to even ask why he had been summoned to Hogwarts before the year had even began.

"Yes my boy. After what happened last year, the staff thought that we needed a new Defense Professor, which would be Professor Remus Lupin. Since he will be unable to teach all the time due to some personal reasons, it was decided that he has to have an assistant. And that is where Professor Ambrosia Evans-Snape comes in." Dumbledore says, watching Harry's reaction carefully as he spoke the unknown adult's name.

While Harry didn't have a reaction to hearing the man's name, not recognizing it but when Dumbledore spoke the woman's name…he couldn't stop his head from turning quickly back to her. He recognized the name Evans as his Mum's family name; having heard it in both the wizarding world and in own home more than once in the past year.

Harry remained silent for a few minutes, as his eyes move to rest on the floor as his hands played with his tie, running his fingers over the fabric like only a child could do. It was then that Dumbledore noticed the tears that were forming in the young boy's eyes and also the hope and yet fear of having his hopes dashed. Dumbledore noticed that Ambrosia had begun moving toward Harry and was glaring at him, as if daring him to stop her. Dumbledore, of course, knew better than this; for as many things Dumbledore was, he was not a stupid man.

"Well Harry, do you have a question for me?" Dumbledore asked, leaning back in his chair, looking at the young fragile boy in front of him.

Harry licked his lips. "Yes sir, I was wondering...could she be...maybe?" Harry couldn't finish as the words seem to freeze in his throat.

"Could she be related to you?" Dumbledore finished for him. "This is what you wanted to know isn't it?"

Harry couldn't say anything nodded his head, the professors of the room noticed how his body was starting to shake slightly as he squeezed his hands into fists so tight that they were turning white.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Harry, look at me please." Dumbledore was taken aback as he saw the desperation in the boy's eyes for what he just said to be the truth. Dumbledore smiled a small smile at Harry. "The answer is yes Harry. Yes she is related to you. She is Lily's younger sister Harry."

Harry bit his lip to keep himself from crying out. 'Family…He had a magical family!' He couldn't stop his tears from releasing from his eyes as he felt his shoulders shake and soon found that he was being held in a warm embrace with a soft voice whispering in his ear.

"I'm here...Shh...little lion. I'm here now. Everything will be ok. I have you now and no one is going to take you away from me again. Calm down. Shh..." Ambrosia whispered into his ears, running her hand through his hair.

The other teachers present did not come forward, knowing that this is what needed to happen between the two of them.

Harry was still for a few moments as he felt those arms that held him freely give him the comfort and love that he has desperately needed for so many years. He slowly brought his arms around his aunt, gripping the back of her robe and began to sob into her chest; crying out all of his pain and sorrow that he had felt for so long.

Not once did Ambrosia let him go or lessen her hold, she just held onto him tightly; running her fingers through his hair and whispering calming words in his ears as she held him close to her.

Soon Harry had cried himself out but now he was getting tired and he swayed a little on his feet. Ambrosia led him to a couch and sat down with him, laying his head on her shoulder as she continued to run her fingers through his hair.

She leaned down and whispered in his ear softly, "Little lion please drop the glamours." Harry looked up at her with wide eyes and his lower lip started to tremble with fear and new tears began forming in his eyes.

"No...Please don't make me. You'll..." He stopped as he tried to calm himself, without effect.

Ambrosia looked up at the other teachers present and Madam Pomfrey who had made her way into the office a few seconds ago.

"I'll what, little lion?" Ambrosia asked, running her hand through Harry's hair trying to calm him.

"You'll...hate…me." he whispered, tears streaming down his face. Ambrosia took his face in between her hands, making him look at her.

"Now I want you to listen to me Harry. Are you listening?" Harry nodded his head. "I would and could not ever hate you. I love you too much for that. You are family. I've lost you once and I'm not about to lose you again, no matter what. Do you understand?"

Harry nodded his head but asked in a small voice. "What about Aunt Petunia? She is your sister."

Ambrosia looked Harry dead in eyes and spoke in a very calm voice. "That woman is not my sister, not for a very long time. She has become a monster. Her, her husband and her whale of a son will pay for what they have done to you, little lion. I promise you, they will pay for it all. Now please little lion, remove your glamours so that Madam Pomfrey may heal you."

Harry looked around the room, "But what about the other teachers? Do they have to be here too?" He asked in a very small voice.

"Well little lion you see, Remus is a dear friend of mine; he was also a very dear friend of your mother's and father's. Severus is here because he is my husband and because he cares for you as I do. Dumbledore and McGonagall are here because they need to witness what your injuries are and Madam Pomfrey is here to heal you. You can trust these people in this room, Harry. I am never going to let anyone hurt you again. I promise little lion."

Harry seemed uncertain for a few seconds but soon nodded his head as he took out his wand and removed his glamours. His body was broken and bruised. His lip was split badly, he had a bad black eye, his arm looked like it was broken and many more injuries where scattered all over his body.

Ambrosia turned him around and gasped as she saw that blood was seeping through his shirt and robes. She took them off with little protest from Harry, who was beginning to show signs of fatigue. Once his robes and shirt were removed, she stepped back and allowed the other teachers to look at it as well.

Ambrosia and Severus growled underneath their breath while the others just gasped as they saw the multiply deep cuts were scattered all across his back, exposing muscle and allowing the blood to run freely.

"Those monsters, I'll kill them." she growled, her hatred evident to those present in the room as her magic began to react to her emotions; snapping in the air before calming so as to not scare Harry.

Ambrosia and Severus got on each side of Harry, encasing him in a circle of love and protection. Harry looked up at Severus who smiled lovingly at the boy in his arms. Harry smiled a small smile back at him and then turned to smile at his aunt.

He snuggled into their arms and said in a quit voice, "I'm sleepy."

Severus answered this time, running a hand through Harry's hair, "Soon you'll be able to sleep Harry. You'll have plenty of time to rest before classes start back and by then, you'll be as good as new."

Harry just nodded his head, not having the strength to answer. Ambrosia nodded to Madam Pomfrey, who stepped forward waving her wand; cleaning, healing and bandaging his many wounds. Harry slumped a little but Severus never let him hit the ground, instead picking him up and holding him close to him.

"He's so light, Ambrosia and so small." Severus said sadly as he looked into his wife eyes.

Ambrosia nodded her head sadly, "He looks like he is still in first year."

Madam Pomfrey answered, "He has been starved nearly to death this summer. And he has been malnourished most of his life. He's going to need to be on Nourishing Potions for a few days until his stomach is able to take solid foods."

Ambrosia shook with anger as she glared at Dumbledore, "This wouldn't have happened if you would have let me take him to begin with!" She hissed at him, pouring her hatred into the sentence.

"I did what I thought was best for the boy." Dumbledore replied, looking sadly at what his decision had caused for the young boy.

Ambrosia stalked over to him and got nose to nose with him. "You stay away from him. You've done more than enough. Now it's my turn to set things right. You just better hope and pray that I don't take him and leave here for good. It would only serve you right for what you've done to Harry." The fire in her eyes actually making Dumbledore back up slightly in fear of her, though he quickly tried to brush it off those that were gathered saw his slight retreat from the young witch.

"But Ambrosia," Madam Pomfrey said, "He must destroy he-who-must-not-be-named."

Ambrosia whirled around and glared at the nurse, who backed off quickly. "He's just a boy! You are putting the fate of our world in the hands of a child who shouldn't have such a weight placed upon his shoulders. For now though, I have decided to let Harry remain here to continue his education. But you know what I demand of you Dumbledore. If they are not done within this week, I, Severus and Harry shall leave this world and never return. I won't have you killing him for your war like you did to Lily and James."

"They knew what they were up against." Dumbledore replied, looking very old in this instance.

"I don't want to hear it Albus." Ambrosia said, holding up her hand to silence him. "But mark my words, if Sirius is not freed by the end of the week; it'll be your head. Come Severus, Remus. Harry is exhausted and we have much to do tonight."

And with that she opened the door and walked out, followed closely by Severus who was holding Harry close to him as to not jostle him in his sleep.

"You better hope Harry can forgive you Dumbledore, for there is no forgiveness left in us for you." Remus growled his eyes glowing deep gold showing just how close Moony was to the surface as he followed his oldest friends out of the Office.

Dumbledore fell into his chair and placed his glasses on his desk. Rubbing his hands over his face and sighing to him self, thinking, 'What have I done? Oh Merlin, what have I done to that poor boy.'

End of Chapter One

Reviews are more than welcome!

A/N: I know the changes aren't much but I think that they make the story flow better!