A/N: As I've written before, I am getting back into the swing of things again, and this is a story that I have been working on since I posted Harry Potter's Doom, a one-shot here on FFn. Yes, there was a lot of backstory that didn't make that bit of fic, but there's also a lot that would have come after. Its epilogue, as it were, and what I decided to do was go ahead and indulge myself by writing it all out as I saw it. The result is this fic-in-progress.

It is a deviation for me to be posting this before it is complete on my end, but I am doing so as I've been having trouble getting back into the swing of writing again. Please bear with me. Thank you!

The summary does indicate this will get to be a triad story, M/F/M with some slash happening to one degree or another, so if reading that is not your thing, please feel free to find something else that is. Fanfic is awesome, like that. And, with more than seven hundred thousand Harry Potter fics here on FFn, your choices are numerous.

Legal Matters, effective for the entire story: I own many copyrights in the world, but this work of derivative fiction is not among them, nor will it ever be. All things Harry Potter are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling and/or her assignees. I am just thankful she left her sandbox open to us so we can mess about in here, doing odd things with her beloved characters.

PROLOGUE

20 June 1992

"Albus Dumbledore!"

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Hermione Granger all exchanged surprised, worried looks as they openly listened to Harry's godfather and guardian, Lord Sirius Black, shout at Headmaster Dumbledore just outside of the main entrance to the ancient castle of Hogwarts.

Behind them, there was a chaotic endeavor at organization as hundreds of students laughed, exchanged Floo addresses—or even Muggle addresses amongst the Muggle-born—and upcoming holiday plans. Summer was a time to travel for many, so there was much to say. And as curious as the four children might have been at any other time about the other students, they only had eyes and ears for the men before them.

"Sirius, my boy," the headmaster began.

"Do not 'my boy' me, Albus!" Then, Sirius seemed to become aware that there were ears listening and eyes watching. He flung a hand up and, all at once, the children couldn't hear anything. But they could still witness the exchange.

"He's not happy," Harry murmured, eyes huge behind his stylish, thin-framed eyeglasses. "Look, his hair is coming out of its binding."

Hermione self-consciously smoothed her own wildly curly hair behind one ear. "Why d'you reckon he's upset, Harry?"

"Dunno. I think I did all right on my exams."

The children nodded. Hermione had harangued them all to study and they'd done so. "I think we all did," she whispered. "You haven't had a detention since Spring Hols, so that can't be it."

Ron chuckled. "My mum would have a party for the twins if they'd gone that long without a detention."

Neville cocked his head. "Look, I think he's saying something about Quirrell?"

"Shite. That's not good." Ron cleared his throat. "Hey, mates, I'm gone. Gotta go, er, make sure Percy knows where I am so he doesn't squeal to Mum."

Harry absently wished the ginger boy a good summer just as Sirius ended the silencing charm he and the headmaster had been caught up in.

"So that's that, Albus."

The headmaster stroked his white beard with a contemplative air. "Lord Black, really, I don't think—"

"You don't. Exactly. Harry, c'mon, son. We're leaving."

Harry nodded and turned to shake Neville's hand. "You'll write, yeah? And we should be seeing you, Nev, at our birthdays."

Hermione lunged at Harry to surround him in one of her enthusiastic hugs. Harry had grown used to them by Christmas, as the girl was forever hugging her friends for one reason or another. "You better write, Harry. Neville. I'll write to you both, of course." The boys blushed a little but nodded their agreement.

Within minutes, Harry and his godfather had reached the Apparition Point at the outer gates and disappeared. Neville and Hermione had been told their trunks would be waiting for them at the Hogsmeade Station, so they had only to say their farewells to a few people before making their lonely-ish way to the carriages.

"I'll ask my gran if Harry and I can invite you to our birthday party, Hermione," Neville said, his tone very formal as they settled in for the long ride to London.

The girl smiled a little. "That would be very nice. I don't get invited to many parties."

"Well, we'll make it happen, then."

Summer, 1992

Dear Nev,

Sirius is taking me out of school! He says that I'm not safe there after what happened with the mess the four of us got into with that Philosopher's Stone this year.

I don't blame him, really, but what am I going to do without my friends?

No birthday party, either! Which is total shite—sorry, Lady Longbottom, if you're reading—but that's what he said. I can't say where we'll be because he won't tell me.

I've got to tell Hermione. Look after her next year, yeah? She's smart but there's so much she doesn't know and I'd hate for one of those gits in Slytherin to get her in trouble for something she didn't learn whilst still in her pram.

Write back, mate. I'll want to know how the Quidditch season goes!

Harry

. . . .

Dear Hermione,

How are you? I hope you are having a good holiday with your folks. I am well and so is my godfather.

I have to tell you, though, that I won't be coming back to Hogwarts. Sirius says it's too dangerous for now. Which I don't get, but that's what he says. I will be getting tutored, my godfather says, so don't think I won't be sitting lessons. Between you and me, my godfather can be really demanding about homework. Especially in Defense and Transfiguration. Has to do with his life before I was born, I think.

Please write to me! I will want to know how your studies and such go next year. If I learn different things, we can compare notes, which I am pretty sure you'd like.

Stay away from the trolls!

Your friend,

Harry

. . . .

Hey, Ron-

My godfather's not letting me come back to Hogwarts. Said that if you had been the one stuck with Quirrell, your mum would probably pull all of the Weasleys out of Hogwarts. (Don't tell your mum he said that, yeah?) Anyway, I'll be getting tutors which might be fun, but I'll miss you and all my friends. So please write!

And remember to keep track of the Quidditch scores. I asked Nev, but you know he'd just as soon hang out in the greenhouses. He's like Hermione and her library.

Take care, mate.

Harry

A/N: So this is where we start. I've got one more chapter I will post later this week and when I do, I will ask you to cast the Aparecium charm if you want future snippets revealed. But . . . not today. ;-)