This Time We Do It My Way

THREE: TO START OVER

He still hadn't decided exactly what he was going to do but he knew he wouldn't be on Dumbledore's side. He had studied the stances of both sides of the war and honestly he agreed more with the dark sides stance than the light or at least the stance it had held before their leader suddenly fell into insanity. He believed that the Horcrux's had shattered Tom Riddle's mind creating Voldemort. He didn't know if a reabsorption of at least half of the Horcrux's would help or if could convince Voldemort to do so but if not he would have to form his own side in the war.

He had already gotten Sirius free working through the goblins, which was how the Wizarding World realized their savior was missing as Sirius was his rightful guardian, well before he was emancipated and went into an uproar when he realized his godson was not at his aunts when he went to retrieve him. Although Harry would have loved to get to know Sirius growing up, he didn't believe that he would be treated as the adult he truly was or accepted for his dark tendencies. Whether or not he joined Voldemort, or Riddle as he preferred to call him, Harry was absolutely dark, he hated hypocrisy in any form and could not for the life of him ever support Dumbledore ever again, even if he arranged it so that Dumbledore could never have power over him or manipulate him ever again.

It was four days after his mastery exam on his eleventh birthday that he received his letter. It was nine o'clock in the morning when there was a knock on his apartment door. Harry had just finished his shower and was only wearing very tight black leather pants with a smoky black and grey layered tulle like skirt that was very short in the front but long and puffed out in the back. In his hands he had a long sleeve black shirt that had many silver zippers. He had already brushed his shoulder length hair and tied it back into a low tail with long bangs framing his face and a layer of silver liquid eyeliner around his eyes. His look was very different than the previous timeline. He had used his abilities to give himself a more aristocratic look. All in all he looked less like a Potter and more like a Black or Malfoy abet with green, 'avada kedavra' eyes.

Opening the door still shirtless Harry saw five men and one woman; Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Minerva McGonagall.

"Hello my dear boy! Are your guardians in?" asked Dumbledore jovially. Harry raised an elegant eyebrow at the fashion disaster that stood in front of him in a lime green and caution orange suit.

"I am an emancipated minor and I live alone, can I help you?" Harry asked coldly.

"Perhaps we could come in?" asked Minerva diplomatically. Harry nodded and moved aside silently inviting their entry into the large studio apartment. He closed the door behind them and waved his hand towards the living room.

"Please sit," he said before putting his shirt on. "Would you like tea?"

"Yes, please," answered Minerva. Lupin and Black were silent as they watched him searchingly. Snape's face was blank as ever and Harry disappeared into the kitchen area. He came back moments later with tea, cups, sugar, cream and biscuits on a tray. He set it down on his small table pouring himself a cup and sitting on the small chaise lounge he had set by the window. The others poured themselves tea and took in the apartment around them.

It was very open and well-lit with large floor to ceiling windows on one side overlooking the Thames. It was an expensive apartment but Harry believed well worth the cost considering he owned the entire building and was the landlord. Four full bookcases lined the right wall with a black baby grand piano in the corner a black wood writing desk in the opposite corner. A black and cream colored rug covered the dark oak flooring underneath the cream colored furniture. Black and white framed photographs hung on the walls, mostly his own but a few from other photographers, as well as his two mastery certificates. Hopefully his third would soon be joining them. The kitchen had a small half wall separating it from the rest of the apartment. His bedroom and bathroom were through the door on the left and were decorated with the same neutral colors although the bathroom had mint green accents and his bedroom royal purple.