AN: I've read several stories where Harry grows up on his own and is admitted to Hogwarts right before the Tri-Wizard tournament with a bad ass attitude. Even one where he grew up in France and was the Beauxbatons champion. But I never saw one where he was in Durmstrang so I decided to write one just for shits and giggles.

If you like it let me know and if you don't, let me know why. Constructive criticism is always useful. If your purpose here is to simply leave bullshit reviews telling me how much I suck, then piss off. No doubt, that comment will attract several flames but I don't really care, I'm writing this for my own amusement and if they don't like it, fuck em. Now, for those of you with manners, lets get to the story.

Vanishing Illusions

By

Trelawney's Love Toy

Chapter One

The leading members of the Order of the Phoenix were sitting around the table in the small meeting room connected to Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's office as they tried to anticipate Voldemort's next move. They had had very little success in this area but it wasn't something they could just give up on. Though most did not trust him, Severus Snape was their only source of information in the Dark Lord's ranks and although he was thought to be loyal, he was hardly a trusted advisor. Primarily being designated to brewing the potions needed by the Death Eaters. Once critical plans came to his attention it was usually too late to do anything about them.

For the most part, the members of the Order allowed themselves no illusions, they knew perfectly well that they were losing this war and it would take a series of astounding victories to change that fact. They had been on the defensive for several years now, never gaining an inch, always being pushed back. Recruitment in both the Aurors and the Order had all but dried up and the terror that Voldemort commanded sent many would be allies running.

James and Lily Potter sat beside their friends, Sirius and Remus, as they listened to all the latest reports with detached expressions on their faces. This was the first meeting they had been to in weeks and they truly wished they had stayed at home with their boys. They trusted Peter completely, he was their secret keeper after all, but they just had this strange feeling that something was wrong. Truth be told, they wouldn't have come at all if Peter hadn't convinced them that they could offer something positive to the meeting, but as it wore on they could not conceive of any area of discussion that they could add to.

James sighed in boredom before a powerful wave of magic assaulted his mind. With a strangled gasp, he jumped to his feet, his eyes wide in terror.

"James, what is it?" Sirius demanded in concern.

"The wards! The wards have been breached!" Was all he said before fleeing the room, his wife and friends right behind him. Unfortunately, due to the extensive protection surrounding the house, a floo connection was impossible so the only choice was to make it off Hogwarts grounds before apperating which would take several minutes, time they could not spare.

XXX

Aleksander Krum stood outside the smoldering remains of the Potter house with an outraged expression on his face. He had joined the Death Eater just two months before simply because he truly believed in Voldemort's cause but once he was permitted access to more information after he took the Dark Mark, he realized that for all his posturing, the Dark Lord cared nothing about the purebloods that served him, he merely saw them as a means to gain power.

He had been assured that the muggles that had been tortured and killed were actually agents of Albus Dumbledore and thus had to be removed, but now he knew differently. He had no love for muggles but the attack on innocents with no means to defend themselves was an act that held no honor and it disgusted him. To kill in combat is unavoidable but cold-blooded murder is an entirely different matter especially if the victims were children. It was this reality that brought him to his current location this night.

Recently the Dark Lord had been especially interested in a few young boys that were barely over one year old, insisting that they must die. Neville Longbottom and the Potter twins. While their parents were certainly enemies of considerable power, he could not fathom why the boys would be a priority, and he could not condone attacks on ones so young. Aleksander had serious doubts about his decision since he first took the Mark but once he learned that Voldemort had left to eliminate the Potters twenty minutes before, he decided that he could not simply follow orders any more. He drew his wand and prepared to leave when pain beyond anything he had ever experienced coursed through his left arm as the Dark Mark burned black for nearly a minute before the tattoo began to fade until it was barely visible. It took quite a bit of control but he was eventually able to push the pain to the back of his mind so that he could return to the task at hand. He would try to figure out what had just happened later.

Quickly tracing the Dark Lord's portkey, he apperated away and was surprised to meet no resistance as he passed through the wards that should have been present. He knew that Voldemort was powerful but even he could not break through such extensive shields so quickly on his own. Although he was angered that he had obviously not arrived in time, he was lucky that due to the scorched house and the distraught parents present his own arrival went unnoticed.

James and Lily Potter were casting charm after charm to extinguish as much of the flames as possible as they and a few others made their way through the wreckage, calling out to their twin sons. Despite the grave situation and his outrage of an attack on children, he couldn't help the incredulous snort that escaped him. The children were mere infants, and judging by the devastation surrounding them, even if they were alive they would be in no condition to form any sort of reply.

A sudden shriek brought him out of his thoughts and when he looked up he saw Mrs. Potter jump over several obstacles to reach the large basinet that was remarkably untouched. There was only one problem. One child was missing while the other was unconscious. While both parents were relieved to find Allen seemingly unharmed, they were franticly looking around for Harry.

Looking around once again, Aleksander turned his suspicious gaze towards his left forearm. Judging by their actions, the Potters were not present when the Dark Lord attacked so the question on his mind was what had happened to cause such damage and what had happened to Voldemort. For the past two months he could always feel his 'master's' presence through the mark but currently he was feeling very little. In fact, he used the magic to try to contact the self proclaimed Lord but met with no success, something that should have been impossible. The only explanation was that he was either dead or so magically weak that he could no longer access the connection. A small smirk graced his lips at the thought of either fate but the question remained; which explanation applied and how did it happen.

Deciding he probably shouldn't press his luck, he decided that it would be best to leave the area now before more people showed up to assist, in which case his presence would undoubtedly be noticed. Planning to apperate, he walked a short distance to avoid the sound being detected but he didn't get far before he came upon the unconscious body of Harry Potter. He just stood there and blinked stupidly for several moments, surprised at his discovery and confused as to how the boy had gotten there.

He withdrew his wand before casting several charms only to find that he had apparently apperated out of the house with accidental magic. A few quick tests revealed that the boy was in good health, except for the strange cut on his forehead, having been hit with only one spell.

"This is not possible!" He muttered to himself in broken English. No one, no one, had ever survived the killing curse much less a child. According to the diagnostic charms, the spell had been partially blocked and rebounded. If that was indeed the case, then it would shed much greater light on tonight's events. If Voldemort had been hit with the rebounded curse, it would explain the pain he had felt in his mark and the lack of 'presence' he had felt. But was he dead or merely incapacitated. Either way, he was certain that he was not gone for good, he could just feel it in his bones.

Now he just needed to decide what he would do with the boy. Under normal circumstances he would make sure the child was returned to his parents but he wasn't so sure that that was what was best. If his conclusions were correct then he would be a target for Death Eaters seeking vengeance for their master his entire life. It would be much safer for him for everyone to believe him to be dead. Dumbledore, and the rest of the magical world, no doubt, place him up on a pedestal as some kind of hero, thus exposing him to any enemies he will certainly acquire.

It would be much simpler if the boy's parents had died in the attack. If that had happened he would probably be tucked away someplace out of reach but that was obviously not to be. Besides, if he could survive a killing curse there was no telling what the boy could achieve in the years to come and he did not trust that kind of power under the thumb of Albus Dumbledore.

"Hmm, and Viktor will certainly enjoy having a little brother!" He muttered to himself, coming to his decision before vanishing with a soft pop.

XXX

Thirteen years later

The Great Hall of Hogwarts quieted down as Professor McGonagall tapped her glass to get everyone's attention. Most of the student body turned their attention to Headmaster Dumbledore, waiting for him to make his customary start of the year announcements but a select few looked very excited, knowing what was about to be announced.

"Now that everyone has had their fill of our wonderful feast, there are a few announcements to be made. But first I must remind you that dueling in the corridors and venturing into the Forbidden Forest our expressly forbidden. And since several of our students seem to think that these rules are mere suggestions," Dumbledore said as he gazed back and forth between Draco Malfoy and Allen Potter. "Punishments for these transgressions will now be more severe." Most of those in the hall glared at the two boys and their small group of friends with scowls firmly placed. Neither were very popular among the student body as a whole for various reasons. Primarily because of their arrogance.

Allen Potter, known for his defeat of Voldemort was loved throughout the wizarding world, with the exception of those that had actually met him personally. He was clearly one of those that had let fame go to his head and as a result of the training he had received since he was seven years old, he rarely hesitated to let his opinion that he was the most powerful wizard in the school go unsaid. A claim that Malfoy challenged regularly.

"Now, before everyone goes off for a peaceful night's sleep, I would like to introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, retired Master Auror Alastor Moody." There were scattered applause around the hall but most were looking at the battle scarred man with trepidation. His vicious nature towards those he hunts was very well known. Dumbledore may trust the man to teach children but the past years have proven that the Headmaster's judgment was well clouded where that particular position was concerned.

"Also, I have the great pleasure to announce that this year Hogwarts will be hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament." There were several gasps heard around the hall and many were looking up at their Headmaster with wide eyes but the majority seemed a bit confused. "The tournament was established nearly seven hundred years ago to promote friendly competition between the three premier schools of magic in Europe. Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Each school will select a champion who will represent their student body in a series of competitions that tests your physical, mental and magical prowess.

"The tournament was held every five years until 1792 when the death toll became to high. There have been many attempts to revive the competition but until this year none had been successful. The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will arrive in October with their strongest contenders and the champions will be chosen on Halloween. However, this year the organizers had decided to impose an age restriction on those competing due to the danger involved. It had been decided that you must be at least sixteen years of age to enter your name into the champion selection. However, there were some," He said slowly as he looked over to a particularly smug Allen as his father gave him a thumbs up from the head table where he was seated with other Ministry officials. "There were some that objected to this restriction so the Ministry has decided that those aged fourteen and fifteen may enter if they have their parent's permission and fill out the proper waivers to be filed with and approved by the Ministry of the competitor's native country. But now it is getting late and you will need your rest for your lessons tomorrow, so off to bed."

"So, Allen, do you think you have a shot?" Seamus asked as they were walking out of the Great Hall.

"Of course, who else would be chosen as Hogwarts champion?"

XXX

"Karkaroff knows!" Viktor said quietly as he sat down next to his little brother.

"How did he figure it out?" Fedor asked as he continued to eat his breakfast, glancing briefly to where the Headmaster was speaking with the potions instructor. With a week to go before they left for Hogwarts, Karkaroff wanted every potion possible that could help Durmstrang's champion.

"Apparently he had a house elf get a sample of your blood off of your clothes after our dueling practice last night. After that it's relatively easy. A simple heritage ritual would give him every family member for four generations back."

"We're going to have to do something a little more extreme this time. He really should know to stay out of other people's business." The younger boy growled to himself.

"I agree, in fact I already have an idea." Ever since Fedor started at Durmstrang, Headmaster Karkaroff seemed determined to figure out everything about him. He had known Aleksander and Olivia Krum in the past, so he knew that they had no child Fedor's age and the natural questions were, where did he come from and who is he? A few other people had tried to get these very same answers before but they quickly 'decided' that it wasn't important. However, they would need to make an example out of the Death Eater turned Headmaster.

Fedor had known who he really was since he was old enough to understand it but unlike most children in his situation, he had no real interest in meeting his birth parents, much less getting to know them. Unlike the rest of the wizarding world that was busy fawning over the 'Boy-Who-Lived', Fedor could see quite clearly what kind of people they truly were. A blind man could see what a glory hound his 'brother' was and James Potter was clearly just as arrogant. The mother, while not as obvious about it, obviously loved to show everyone just how brilliant she was and rub their faces in it. Fedor and Viktor had skills enough but they let their actions do the talking. There was no grandstanding unless it was on the Quiditch pitch or dueling ring.

He found it laughable that Allen Potter strutted around, taking all the praise he could get for an act he could neither remember nor duplicate, for the simple fact that he didn't do it. According to public record whatever he did destroyed Voldemort but they forget that it apparently destroyed his twin brother as well. While he was sure the two elder Potters missed their absent son, it appeared that they felt it was a small price to pay for the defeat of a Dark Lord.

XXX

"Hmm, he's a paranoid one, isn't he?" Fedor commented quietly as he looked at the wards surrounding the Headmaster's office through his crystal lens goggles. Both he and his older brother were very well trained but despite the age difference Fedor surpassed his older brother in the use of magic while Viktor outmatched him in unarmed combat and the use of handheld weapons. Not to say that Viktor wasn't skilled with a wand, mind you, it's just the material seemed to come more naturally for the younger man.

"Is it going to be a problem?" Viktor asked in an amused tone.

"Of course not! You handle the proximity ward, nullifying field and general shields and I'll do the rest. He's got a nexus charm weaved in so we've got to hit them all at the exact same time or…"

"Yes, I know. If one ward goes down it will alert the others, strengthening them and sounding the Headmaster's alarms. If you recall, I have study just as much as you." Fedor just shrugged off his brother's annoyance and set to work. He placed five, multi colored crystals along the floor and doorframe while Viktor placed three. These crystals were their father's invention. They were connected to their wands and would focus the same spell at the same time allowing you to attack several different points at once.

"Ready? Alright, now!" Both young men began casting a long string of incantations, barely pausing to breath between spells. It took them nearly twenty minutes to bring the wards on the door down but after that it was ridiculously easy. There were no alarms set in the office itself and nothing on the door to his private quarters.

The bedroom was actually quite Spartan in appearance. It was little more than a large stone box with a queen sized bed, two winged backed chairs and a modest looking wardrobe. After scanning the room several times to make sure they didn't miss anything, they hit their Headmaster with a stunner before pulling him out of bed and binding him to one of the nearby chairs. Looking around, Fedor found the man's wand resting on a small, rickety old bedside table while Viktor dosed Karkaroff with a liberal amount of Veritaserum.

"Wake him up. The sooner we get out of here the better." Fedor nodded in agreement before waking him with a simple flick of his wand. Once he opened his eyes they were perfectly satisfied that the truth serum had taken effect as they seemed cloudy and could not focus properly.

"Are you a Death Eater?" Viktor asked in a neutral tone. He had no patience for asking several pointless questions before getting down to business. He figured if he asked a question the man would certainly lie to then he would know for certain if it was working or not.

"Yes." Yep, it was certainly working.

"Are you still loyal to the cause?"

"Yes."

"Ok, do you know who Fedor Krum really is?"

"Yes, he's Harry Potter."

"Have you given this information to anyone?"

"Not yet."

"What do you plan to do with it?"

"I intend to use it incase any of my old friends come after me." Well, that certainly made sense. He made himself a lot of enemies when he testified against a bunch of Death Eaters to avoid going to Azkaban himself. He would have to offer them something pretty valuable to save his neck.

"Where is that blood sample and any materials you used with it?"

"In the bottom drawer of my desk." As soon as the words were out of his mouth two stunners hit him in the chest.

"I'll collect that blood and you can deal with him." Viktor said before heading towards the door.

"How much do you want to take?" Fedor asked as he prepared to cast the Memory charm.

"Go ahead and take it all, he's been too much of a nuisance for too long."

"Atum Balt Averum!" The difference between this charm and the widely used Obliviate is that the standard memory charm simply covers up a memory. If one is fairly skilled in occlumency, they could probably retrieve it eventually or they could have someone help them do it. But the spell Fedor used, called the Memorandum, erases the memory altogether. If you focus enough power into, as Fedor did, you could erase a person's entire life, effectively making them the mental equivalent of a new born baby with no hope of recovery.

XXX

"Everyone, settle down and take your seats!" Professor McGonagall demanded in a crisp voice. Professors Snape, Flitwick and Sprout stood along beside her as they stood at the front of the transfiguration classroom. The room held nearly twenty students from all houses, ranging from fifth year to seventh. There were only two forth years present, Potter and Malfoy, and it appeared that everyone was a bit resentful that the two grandstanding forth years would be included in this meeting. After all, if Malfoy was chosen as champion, it would no doubt be because his father bought the position for him and if Potter is chosen it would certainly be because he is the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. He may be fairly advanced for his age but he is definitely not more skilled than a sixth year student much less a seventh.

"As you know, you are here because in your respective year groups, you are the most likely to be selected as Hogwarts champion, though some of you have a greater chance than others. While rules forbid us from assisting you for the various tasks that make up the competition, we are, however, permitted to help prepare you for the tournament as a whole. Part of that is knowing who you will be facing." With a wave of her wand a large stack of folders appeared before each student and Professor Flitwick took over.

"Before you is information on the capabilities of each student Beauxbatons plans to bring to enter their names into the competition. They are all highly intelligent but most of them lack much practical experience, however, this fact should not lead you to underestimate their capabilities. Now, due to the volume of candidates, you should study those files on your own time while we move on to the Durmstrang candidates." This time the stack of files was noticeably smaller.

"Two, they only have two entering?" Allen laughed out loud without even looking at the names. He didn't bother to stop when even the professors began glaring at him.

"Mr. Potter, control yourself this instant or you can leave!" McGonagall snapped. "Now, the list of students Durmstrang is bringing is considerably longer but their champion will undoubtedly be one of these two. Viktor and Fedor Krum. Yes, I see the Quiditch enthusiasts in the room recognized the name. Viktor Krum of course caught the snitch at the world cup some months ago. It was only his age that kept his brother from being the alternate on that team." Those names were very well known to many in that room. Some had starry eyes as they thought about the greatest seeker in Quiditch today and all those with experience in competitive dueling paled at the thought of facing either of the brothers.

"As it stands," Professor Sprout spoke up for the first time. "Whichever of these two is chosen will be the favorite to win, no matter who is chosen from the other schools. Viktor Krum has won numerous dueling competitions with both magic and the sword as well as hand to hand combat competitions. He has won the gold medal for his age group at the European Dueling Championships two years ago and came in third in the world championships. Last year he filed the necessary waivers to compete as an adult, the request was granted and he took the silver medal in the EDC."

"As skilled as Mr. Krum is, his younger brother is better!" Flitwick stated firmly as he tried to impress the serious nature of their abilities. "Fedor is considered to be the most powerful wizard of his generation in the world today. He won the European championship two years ago and won the world championship a month later. He continued strong last year, once again winning the EDC title…"

"THAT'S A LIE! I WON LAST YEAR'S TOURNAMENT!" Potter screamed as he jumped to his feet in anger, though those that knew him best could see he was doing it more for appearance sake, like he just wanted to make it appear that he wasn't aware of what his professor was talking about.

"POTTER, SIT DOWN AND BE QUIET!" Snape raged as he glared at his least favorite student. He didn't think it was possible for anyone to exceed the arrogance James Potter had shown while a student but his son certainly did just that.

"Yes, Mr. Potter, you won for your age group, but did you not stay to watch the whole competition?" Flitwick asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course not, I already won!" It was a lie, of course, he watched the whole thing and it left him feeling fortunate that he took the route he did in that tournament, he did win after all so it all turned out for the best.

"Well, seeing as how he had already won the tournament once before, young Fedor appealed to the International Dueling Commission and filed the waivers to allow him to compete as an adult just as his older brother had. Due to the fact that he was only thirteen at the time, the officials were reluctant to allow it but eventually withdrew their concerns after putting him through many rigorous tests. Despite the fact that they were facing opponents with decades more experience then them, the two tore through the competition. Fedor took the gold after a brutal match with his brother who, of course, won the silver. Despite the fact that they missed the world championships last year, due to injuries they sustained against each other in that final match, they are both still ranked in the top ten worldwide on the adult circuit."

"So is this an all brawn, no brain situation?" Cho Chang asked.

"Don't be stupid!" Snape growled in annoyance. "Both of these boys are among the top students in their class and although they had originally been instructed by tutors, the majority of their knowledge has been self taught. Everything they set their minds to achieve, they excel at." McGonagall glared at her younger colleague for his tone before she took over once more.

"Professor Snape is, of course, correct. The Krums routinely work with various organizations gaining hands on experience with different aspects of magic and combat, whether it's dueling with hostile wizards, handling dangerous magical creatures or dealing with rogue vampires and werewolves. As you can see, Hogwarts and Beauxbatons will be at a disadvantage here. Our champions will be students and they will be facing a professional."

XXX

"Headmaster!"

"Severus, I have much to do before Igor and Olympe arrive, so what can I do for you?"

"Well, for starters, you can amend your plans slightly, Karkaroff won't be coming." The potions master sneered. Dumbledore's eyes went wide and his mouth opened slightly in shock.

"Durmstrang has withdrawn from the tournament?"

"Did I say that? No. I said that Karkaroff would not be coming as he is no longer headmaster."

"What happened?"

"If I hazard a guess, I would say he turned his curiosity on the wrong person. He always was a bit to nosy for his own good. He was found crying in his chambers two days ago with no memories what so ever."

"Curious," The Headmaster commented with a raised eyebrow. "Perhaps if I were allowed to see him, I could eventually restore him. Have they been able to get any useful information from him?"

"You misunderstand me, Albus! His memories were not covered up, they were wiped out completely. And not just a few selected memories, but all of them. His mind is a blank slate."

"Have they captured the person responsible?"

"No, they haven't! All they have is rumor and speculation. The wards surrounding the school all but ensure that it was someone on the inside and the wards surrounding Karkaroff's office eliminates even every member of their staff. They simply didn't have the experience or power needed to overpower them. That only leaves the Krum brothers as suspects but if they were responsible, they covered their tracks perfectly."

"Why would they be suspects?"

"As I said before, they are the only ones with the knowledge and experience needed and once again all we have is rumor and speculation. Apparently there are details about the younger boy, Fedor, that occasionally draws unwanted attention. Those that have been suspicious about him in the past are extremely tight lipped about the subject today and even for the normal everyday gossips that truly have no idea what is going on, it is a subject that just isn't talked about. It would seem that the Krums went to great lengths to keep whatever this is secret. Igor uses whatever information he can get to his own advantage, the only way to keep him quite is to kill him. This course of action solves their problem without a life sentence in prison hanging over their head if they are caught."

"If you are correct, this could be a very serious problem. The last thing we need is a pair of dark wizards running around with access to this school and its students."

"I agree, Headmaster, however, there is no evidence that they were involved nor is there any evidence that they ever used violence in an inappropriate manner." Snape found himself in the rare position of being the devil's advocate. The fact that his curiosity was rising with everything he heard about the two young man certainly had an influence on that. "As for Karkaroff, well, it wasn't that long ago that you, yourself, had been forced to take just such measures."

"That was an entirely different circumstance!" Dumbledore stated firmly. "We were at war and certain information needed to be protected."

"And who's to say that whatever the Krums are hiding is worth any less protection? Without knowing the details you simply cannot determine whether their course of action was a security measure or done with malicious intent."

"What of their father? He was a Death Eater, was he not, could they be trying to hide some aspect of his involvement with Voldemort?"

"No, I don't think so. Though he took the Mark, Aleksander was hardly a Death Eater. He was always fairly powerful but he was a foolish young idealist who believed in the resurgence of wizarding culture. He had nothing against Muggles and Muggleborns personally, but like most in our world, he felt that the muggleborns were trying to force us away from our culture and beliefs to more reflect the society that they came from. With more and more entering the wizarding world every year it's becoming more apparent. Like many, the Dark Lord seduced him by telling him everything he wanted to hear.

"He was firmly against targeting civilians and the torture of prisoners. He was within the group for only a couple of months before the attack on Potter's home. When he found out it was the children that were to be killed, he just left, he didn't want any part in it. After the Dark Lord's 'death' he was left alone because the Aurors didn't have any evidence that he ever participated in any attacks.

"Now, from what I understand, he is a very different man. He will not allow himself to be deceived in any way and there are many out there that would caution you not to try. I would suspect that he raised his children to be the same."

"Very well, we will simply watch the boys for now." Dumbledore spoke up after thinking on his young friend's words for several moments. "When they arrive I would like you to get a feel for them, see what you can find out with…"

"Absolutely not! With their success on the dueling circuit, they are surely well schooled in Occlumency. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that that is exactly what got Igor in trouble. I like my memories right where they are, Headmaster. I will talk to them and their professors, see what I can get from that but I will go no further and I would urge you to do the same. With the Dark Lord sure to return the last thing we need is to make powerful enemies needlessly." Caution and restraint when dealing with children was not a quality that Snape usually displayed but with the many unknown factors of these particular children he wasn't in any hurry to push his luck.

Chapter two coming soon

You may have noticed that for the most part I borrowed Dumbledore's explanation of the tri-wizard tournament from Goblet of Fire.