Time for Punishment

Prologue

I do not own Harry Potter

J. K. Rowling does.

Authors notice: As promised, a lot of my earlier material is being re-edited. This story will be one of them, while working on my other works such as Tron/HP, Quicksilver/Flash, among others. This is not a Punisher crossover, but more or less a borrowing of an idea of what someone with nothing left to lose will do when pushed to the extremes and how far he or she is willing to go to correct the situation that was thrust upon them by those who have too much power and authority, by those who spout off such phrases like 'The Greater Good', a phrase that both Albus Dumbledore and his former lover/companion, Gellert Grindewald were well known for, and how because of their actions, many lives were not only destroyed and ruined, but lost. Neither Dumbledore and the Minister of Magic, let alone the entirety Wizengamot, were willing to admit to their own wrongdoings and shortcomings, even when faced with the possibility of certain Death courtesy of Voldemort and his snakes within the Wizengamot itself. I personally believe that J. K. R. should not have written it where Albus Dumbledore was allowed into the gates of Heaven as if he was a benevolent being that he thought he was, and instead should have been burning in the everlasting fires of Hell for his questionable actions and in-actions, while it should have been James and Lily Potter, alongside Sirius Black, Remus and Nymphadora Lupin-Tonks and the spirits of the past Potters and Peverells who should have met up with Harry in the realm or Purgatory after being struck down by Tom Riddle. But that's just how I feel.

So anyway, here's a re-edited Prologue of the story formerly titled 'Sniper'. Enjoy!

Prologue

Oct. 31, 1981 7:30 pm

Godrics Hollow Forest

The night was cold. This much he could tell as he exhaled. His breath flowing from his lips and nose, freezing into visible wisps as it escaped his lungs. He was currently watching the house through his scope for over an hour as he laid upon the wet and very cold ground. He waited still. He had been waiting for this day since he had made the choice to travel back in time. He had trained himself to be more than just a formidable wizard, but trained himself to be a warrior who was tired of allowing the world to run roughshod over his life, and allowing the good people to die while those in power felt it was necessary to sit on their asses. His mind and body had been prepared for just for this moment when he went against everything his former mentor thought he needed to learn and decided to do things his way by upsetting the established Order that was the entirety of the British Wizarding World after they fucked up and tried to put him on a farce trial. A Trial that he refused to acknowledge and or attend as he had made the choice to save the life of his cousin, as worthless as it may have been. For too long, he played the all around golden boy and Dumbledores puppet, but after the letter from the Ministry and the threat they posed to him alongside both Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle, alias Lord Voldemort, he'd had enough.

Flashback Begins

He had decided to act outside the box and used his newly discovered wealth and titles, a family Legacy and his birthright, hidden from him by none other than Albus Percival Wulfric Bryan Dumbledore, revealed to him via a female Slytherin who was known throughout Hogwarts as the Ice Queen. This information allowed him to use and aid his quest in to finding a way to fight back against the Magical Worlds inbred controlled and corrupted system, and to find out what he needed to know. Harry James Potter had learned much since after the end of his fourth year. Because the Heads of three schools and the Head of International Cooperation confirmed that he had to participate in the Tri-Wizard Tournament, he was legally an adult, something both the Headmaster and the Wizengamot forgot and or refused to acknowledge in order to still keep him in the dark. He silently claimed his Lordship the next night after returning to and then leaving Number Four Privet Drive for the last time.

The haunting expression left on the corpse of one he loosely called his friend, the nightmares of seeing Cedric Diggory's face forever frozen in shock while in Death, fueled the fires that drove him to near madness. Scrounging for loose papers from dust bins and other places that held a sort of connection to the Wizarding World, he learned of the slanderous comments and allegations held not just against Dumbledore, but against him as well, and all it did just served to piss him off even further than not receiving any owl post or mail from his friends.

Before anyone could stop him, he disappeared. For almost a year, the Wizarding World wondered what had become of him. Some called him a coward, others searched after realizing the folly of their actions in ignoring his pain when his cousin was nearly murdered, his soul almost sucked out of him with the Ministry of Magic unable to understand how two rogue Dementors could just slip from under their watch and be allowed to attempt to kill Harry Potters relatives. The Minister of Magic thought to at first to call the boy a liar and attention seeker when the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement put her foot down and reminded him that after a thorough investigation into the attack against the Dursley's, whose sons soul had nearly been sucked out and that if Harry Potter had been around, would probably wound up either dead, and or if he even tried to defend both himself and or his cousin, he'd probably be put on a farcical trial for trying to protect his family. As it was, Harry Potter saved his cousin, and in doing so, was to be recognized a a hero. Of course the Minister verbally spat and outright refused this notion and instead put out a bounty on Potters head.

Meanwhile, after searching the muggle underworld for several days, the now ostracized Potter found someone within the muggle side of the world thanks to his silent friend amongst the Slytherins who seemed to have known of both his plight and his problems and took the Potter scion into his confidence and under his wing. His new friend was a squib named Davis Green, who was also a victim to the injustices of the magical world, someone who up and left the world of magic and entered the muggle world. Green wound up entering the British Military at one point of time in his life and was now a retired veteran. He sat down and listened to Harry explain his life from his own point of view, and sympathized with the young boy. So Green took the young hunted wizard under his charge while the Magical World and Authorities continued to search for the boy. Green of course refused to call the last Potter a boy. No, not boy, a man. For a whole year, Harry trained, calisthenics, running, jumping, weight lifting, and water exercises. When he was ready, he was trained in how to be a soldier and sent through grueling intense Marine training.

He was taught gun and knife handling and wielding, the latter of which that came easy to him thanks to his skill in handling a wand. He learned how to hold a gun and how to stand when pointing at a target. He mastered these lessons in such a short period of time as well as how to handle other handguns, machine guns, and sniper rifles. But it was the Sniper Rifle which was his true calling as he took to it like a duck to water as he learned the history of the gun. It became his new best friend as he learned to disassemble, clean, and reassemble the weapon so much that he could do it in his sleep. He slept with it, ate with it, and practiced with it. He learned the code of what having such a weapon meant when it concerned its uses and what it could do.

Unknown to those within the Wizarding World, one of their own had secretly chosen to train the magically growing warrior. The heavily scarred visage of one Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, spat on both Dumbledore and the Ministries stance on Potter as he had owed a debt to James Potter's wife Lily as she had saved his life once upon a time and repaid that debt by training her son even further than he ever trained anyone else in the ways of magical combat, up to and including wandless magic and using magic with blades from swords, to knives, and if necessary, even muggle firearms.

When he had the time just before his training began just as he was supposed to be at his hearing, as a way to give the Wizarding World the finger for the life they left him in, Harry went to Gringotts, accessed and entered his vaults after merging his trust vaults with his family and main vaults. When the Ministry tried to access his vaults with a warrant, he made sure to empty it of everything. Of course, he made sure to leave them a little surprise as well for all the years he was allowed to suffer and the time they had disregarded his words concerning the innocence of his Godfathers unjust incarceration, and their turning a blind eye to his claims regarding Voldemorts return. A sack with 30 pieces of silver was the only thing found within his vaults as well as a letter for whosoever dared to enter his now nearly empty vault. The irony of the letters message was not lost on Amelia Bones who chuckled as she picked up the said note that had lain under the sack of silver.

To those whom find this letter,

Whether they be the Ministry of Magic or Albus Dumbledore himself,

For years since I have re-entered the Wizarding World, I have either been Hero, or villain. I have been attacked and labelled both verbally and physically by the Ministry of Magic, no doubt under the hopeful assumption that I would illegally practice magic to save my cousin and his parents so that I can be tried Illegally tried in a fucked up court of law full of Death Eater scum and the Minister who is paid to keep his mouth shut and even paid to go after innocent people when whispers and promises of power are spoken into his ear, as an attention seeking liar and possible murderer of one Cedric Diggory. Well, you really messed up as you should have remembered that I was already made of age when I was illegally entered into the Tri-Wizard Tournament against my will and forced to compete when three Heads of three different schools and the Head of International Cooperation acknowledged I had no choice but to compete in a Tournament meant for adults. No doubt that you forgot, if you had tried me, you would have all lost your magic because by law, I was considered an adult during the damn blasted tournament. And then you thought you would try me under the assumption that I was still underage. Well fuck you. I'm done with being the scape goat and I'm tired of fighting for a world who does not deserve my loyalty, my life, my time, or my magic. As for Voldemort also known as Tom Marvollo Riddle, he can have the lot of you, provided he leave certain people and families alone, families I will also leave on the letter I have written to the Daily Prophet, a letter that you will no doubt see upon the morning after this vault is opened for the last time, since they alone are deserving of my loyalty and protection. As for the Ministry or Albus Dumbledore, don't seek me out because I won't be found. In fact, by this time, I intend to fix everything you and Dumbledore ever took away from me and I will ensure I have the life I should have had. And in the end, you won't even be able to stop me because by then, it will be too late.

Sincerely,

Lord Harry James Potter

The-boy-who-won't-take-anymore-shit-from-nobody-because-he-has-nothing-left-to-lose.

The Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge, Albus Dumbledore, and even the Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic Deloris Umbridge were all clearly angry as the expressions of red faces was seen by not just the Goblins, but the Head of the DMLE as well. The Goblins had contacted him just barely under an hour after the fools left their bank. During which he began to undergo the training that would aid him in his fight when he decided he was ready to send himself to the past.

When he claimed his Lordship, he also found that his parents had portraits of themselves made that was in Potter Manor. He also found his parents wills and sent a copy of that and his letter of intent to the Daily Prophet and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Davis with the help of some of his friends who were also either Squibs or had family members that turned on them when entering the magical world only to return home when they learned the truth of the negatives of being members of a corrupt and inbred society. That the Magical World had nothing to offer them and or betrayed them, other than to turn family against family as had been evidenced not only with Harry's Mother and Aunt, but also many other families was not lost on any of them or Harry. This had been a hard lesson for those rejected and betrayed by the British Magical World.

Many families, both muggle and squibs, who were wronged by the British Magical World had been looking for a reason to take up the fight against the world that had destroyed their families life, and now they had it. Harry, in the presence of his parents portrait, was changed from an malnourished young man with a small height, to a force to be reckoned with as his build also increased drastically. James and Lily, in their infinite wisdom, gave Harry knowledge and necessary skills from within their portrait, and was able to give Harry an outline of what the Ministry of Magic was like by whatever memory they had. As they spoke, he and those listening managed to create a blueprint of the Ministries infrastructure that Harry would use when he would begin infiltration mission. As a going away gift to him during a short and silent party for him, he was gifted with a Enfield British L42 Bolt Action Sniper Rifle, the weapon he had been using for some time, but was magically modified, specifically for him.

Harry's target was the Time room. It had many Time Turners and information regarding time travel. As the months passed, Harry's training increased until the entire group of retired Military squib soldiers, Moody, and the first generation or muggleborn Witches and Wizards, felt he was ready to return and raise some hell.

Almost one year had passed since Harry Potter had disappeared from the Wizarding World, and then one night, within the Ministry of Magic, he spotted Arthur Weasley as he was walking within a darkened room filled with Orbs of light when he spotted a snake on the floor behind the the father figure of his life as it began to slither its way towards the man from behind. Arthur was unaware of the snake until it was nearly too late when he heard a hiss. Turning at the sound, he was frightened enough by what he saw, that he fell on his backside. The snake sped up its slithering and raised itself up to strike that, by the time Arthur rose his arms to defend himself, he never saw the head of the snake explode, but he did hear it and the thump that followed as its body fell to the floor, smoke rising from the body seconds later, smoke that took on an almost eerily familiar face as it rose from the remains of the serpent. The creature-esque face took on look as if in pain before it dissipated into nothingness as it dissolved in midair.

Arthur, shaking like a leaf, slowly lowered his arm. He then saw the blood pooling at his feet and skidded back several feet as he shrieked in fear. Suddenly, a fingerless gloved hand silenced him when it covered his mouth as he then felt the bladed end of a knife at his neck. A face, covered in dark make-up, came into his peripheral vision on his left, "Hello Arthur. Did you and the Order miss me?" the unknown yet familiar persons voice whispered very softly in his ear.

Harry removed the knife and slowly removed his hand away to allow Arthur to see him completely. He was decked out so to speak, completely in black clothing, a long sleeve shirt, pants, boots, fingerless gloves, and a bandanna. His face and neck was covered in dark, yet liquid based make-up that somewhat shined in the light provided by the Orbs of the darkened Hall of Prophecies. He also seemed to be carrying some strange items, one of which was strapped to his back. He was almost certain they were some type of muggle weaponry he had never seen before. But it was his familiar green eyes tt gave him away, "Harry? Is that you?" the Patriarch of House Weasley asked.

Harry raised a finger to his lips, silently demanding silence, "I'm going to ask you some questions of my own as I answer that yes, it is me. Now, what is this room?"

"Harry, where ha.." he began only to be stopped as Harry reversed the hold he had on the knife and held it to and pressed it harder against Arthurs throat, silencing him.

"Now Arthur, I just saved your life from a big damn snake, as it seems you have followed in both Ginny and Ronald in owing me a Life Debt. All three of you each now owe me a life debt, don't make me call yours in. Now, I'm going to ask again, what is this room and also what are you doing here?"

Seeing he had no choice but to answer, "I-It's the Hall of Prophecies. Dumbledore wanted me to guard a prophecy that..."

"That told of Voldemorts or my downfall via one or the others hand. An orb only he and/or I can remove, correct?"

Arthur nodded.

"Good, show me."

"Harry, I-I..."

Harry pulled out a weapon from behind him that Arthur didn't recognize, and attached a cylindrical object to its head, and then pointed it at Arthur's head, "This is a nine Millimeter Beretta, able to turn your brains into swizz cheese with a single ball of lead once fired from a copper jacket filled with gun powder. So it is unwise to not do as I ask. Now, show me where it is." he emphasized his point by cocking back the guns head and chambering a round when the slide clicked back into place.

Arthur needed no more prompting as he turned around with his hands raised as he now understood the severity of the situation and raised his hands, and then began walking. Harry, being vigilant, barely took his eyes off his once pseudo father figure except to make sure there wasn't any unwanted company nearby or following either of them.

Minutes later, Arthur stopped at a row of orbs and led Harry to a single orb. Having enhanced his intelligence with the aid of the former soldiers, Harry was able to make out Albus Dumbledores initials, Sybill Trelawney's initials, and his own as well as Voldemorts title of Dark Lord. Placing the barrel of the silenced weapon at Arthurs neck and holding him at arms length, turning him back in the other direction, Harry quickly took a second to look at the orb again, grabbed it, and pocketed it in a prepared pouch on his back. Once it was secured, he looked back at Arthurs head and placing his hand on Arthurs shoulder, he shoved him forward and back out and towards the exit.

Before they exited the room, Harry had only one last thing to say to the man, "I want you to know that I meant nothing by scaring and or threatening you, but due to the world I found myself re-entering it before my first year, in what it has done to me since, it has hardened my heart towards a good percentage of you. You all have betrayed me in one form or another, even you, and that means you can't be trusted. Just know, you were like a father to me in what time I have known you, one that I cherished and would have gladly died for, but too much has happened that shows I have to fight this war, 'my way'. And to do that, I need the help of those I can trust completely. So, go home Arthur. Tell Dumbledore or whoever if you want, because when I'm done, you'll probably not even remember this conversation. In fact, I doubt we'll be having this conversation."

The moment Harry removed the weapon, Arthur figured out what he intended, "You intend to change the past!"

"That's right."

"How?"

"Leave that to me. Thank you Arthur Weasley, for treating me like a son in what short time you've known me. But I have to do this on my own since none of you have the heart or the dignity to make the choices that have to be made. And instead, allow yourself to be led around by the hand of that manipulative bastard, Dumbledore."

"Harry, as much as I love you as a son and don't want you to do this, I understand and hope you succeed." Arthur said as he turned to look at him.

"You're not going to tell Dumbledore, are you?" Harry asked, now a bit shocked at this change in pace.

Arthur sighed, and placed a hand on his unofficially adopted son and looked him in the eye, "No, this time is too dark for me and my family, and hopefully, with your plans, whatever they may be, can hopefully make it a brighter future. Whatever your plans, they are yours and yours alone. But there is something you should know."

"And what's that?"

Arthur began telling him of what had been going on at Hogwarts, and how his friends were being tortured by the Undersecretary with a dark object, once the Ministers Undersecretary had taken over Hogwarts. He even surmised that the Minister had known of this and so far has done nothing to stop it. Harry had spent so much time undergoing training that he neglected to pay attention to the goings on of Hogwarts. The fact the Minister had allowed it to happen only served to piss off Harry even more as he looked into Arthur's eyes, "Go home Arthur, you don't need to know what's about to happen. This way, you can have full plausible deniability about what will be seen and known by all within this world, tomorrow morning. This may set me back in what time I have, but only by a day."

Arthur nodded and was surprised Harry pulled him into his arms, "You have been and shall always be the father I always wanted. Good-bye, Mr. Weasley." Harry said as he felt Arthurs arms circle him in a familial hug. It ended too soon as Harry then let him go and disappeared into the darkness as if melding with it. The moment he opened the door and walked out of the Hall of Prophecies, Arthur could neither see nor hear his pseudo adopted son when he exited the Hall.

The next day, Deloris Umbridge was found with a hole in her head, blood all over her clothed body, and her body being held up on the Wizengamot doors by stave's punctured into her hands with her arms splayed out so that all may see, and left displayed within the Ministry of Magics Atrium with a rolled and tied sheet of parchment that was tied around her neck. Amelia Bones came up to the body and removed the parchment. She was surprised to find her name on it with it being addressed to her. When she read it, she became extremely upset and turned to find an extremely flustered Minister of Magic staring at the body, only for her to sucker punch him in the jaw. She cried out in pain as she held her hand, while he was on the ground, holding his bleeding mouth.

She looked upon the downed Minister and growled out loudly to a set of Aurors who stood dumbfounded and shocked, "Get this piece of shite to a cell, NOW!" She was fuming so much that she looked at the now standing minister who was now being held by the two Aurors, "You are going to wish you never ran for Minister when I'm done with you, you bastard." She then kicked him in the balls for good measure, his voice crying out at an high note.

She began securing the crime scene and having the area examined, while at the same time, she mentally said, 'Good luck, Harry Potter. Make this world better from what we are facing now.'

Harry who was concealed in the crowd of onlookers via a glamour charm, read her eyes as she looked around, as if to search for him within the crowd. He didn't give her the chance to see him as he backed out and turned around in order to walk away while others who wanted to look took his spot.

That night, Harry's last objective was to once more return to Hogwarts around the time when he knew everyone should be asleep. Tonight, he would say goodbye to those he cared for. He stealthily made his way through the castle sometime after midnight. Having the Marauders map helped matters as he made sure to not only stay hidden in the shadows, but also to avoid the teachers, including Snape. He managed to bypass the anti-male charms on the girls dorms in Gryffindore as he found Hermione and Ginny's easy enough. He looked down on them and smiled as he kissed their heads and whispered his apologies while leaving a single rose and a note in their hands for both of them. When he gazed upon his adopted sister Hermione, he smiled lovingly as only a brother could. But when he looked upon Ginny, he cleaned his face a bit somewhat in order to kiss her lips for the first and last time as she slept. His lips lingered on hers for a few moments before he stood and walked out of the girls dorm. He then went to his adopted brothers Ron and Neville after reapplying the makeup and grasped their hands gently as they slept, apologizing to them as well.

He went to leave the Griffindore dorm when a pair of red haired twins stopped him. "Hello Harry, old boy." one of the twins said.

"Well, it seems he didn't abandon us, eh George."

"Right you are, Fred."

"Boy's." Harry said sharply. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

They saw that he didn't look the same. Indeed he looked as their father had claimed, like a man with nothing left to lose and wouldn't hesitate to kill if it came down having no other choice but to kill. His eyes were hard, and yet softened as he looked at them. "Not really, Harry. Where have you been? What's going on?"

"I can't tell you. But I am glad I ran into you two." he answered.

"Why is that, Harry?"

"What are you going to do?"

"As I said, I can't tell you. My favor I need is small, can I trust you?" Harry asked wearily.

"Yes." both answered at the same time.

"I need you two to watch over both Hedwig and Dobby for me. Because where I go, they can't follow."

"Sure Harry."

"Whatever you say."

"You can count on us."

Harry chuckled lightly at the byplay between his favorite adopted siblings. "Dobby." Harry called out.

There was a pop and then a squeaky voice called out, "Master Harry, call Dobby?"

"I did Dobby." Harry answered as he knelt down to the same level as his elf friend and began to issue instructions. He even had Dobby gather Hedwig for him and explained to the angered yet weary owl what he wanted her to do for him. At fist she bristled in indignation until he held her in his arms and to his chest showing her his love and spoke tearfully of why he had to do this. It was finally after a few minutes that she finally understood and accepted what he felt he had to do and acquiesced to his pleading wishes. He gave the twins a self-made copy of his father Marauder map and a letter addressed to Remus and Sirius. He gave a large wrapped parcel to Dobby, and had him deliver it to Hagrid. His final act for Hogwarts, was leaving his wand inside of a thin pouch at the door to the Gryffindores head of House, Minerva McGonagall with a note for her and the Headmaster.

He then returned home, tired as he was, and alone, just as he needed. The next day, after speeking of what he saw within the Hall of Prophecies upon the snakes death, and with the portrait of Lily Potters fears being realized, he quickly, with the instructions of his mother, set about creating an imprisoning or soul prison crystal that would definitely see to the Dark Lords fall. A day later, after activating the ritual inside the Fidelius charmed home, in a flash of light, Harry James Potter, was gone.

Flashback Ends

Back in Godrics Hollow woods, Harry stopped his trip down memory lane as a couple of 'cracks' caught his attention. His targets had arrived. He relaxed his breathing and focused the adjuster until he had a clear view of the targets. The wind was with him as was the temperature. The darkness of the woods made sure he was concealed well. When he arrived, his memory of where Godrics Hollow allowed him to place himself deep enough into the woods where he had been waiting since he confirmed he made it to the appropriate timeline he aimed for.

In his scope, he recognized the tall wiry frame of Lord Voldemort in his ridiculous robes, and the short, fat, bald headed body of Peter William Pettigrew. The 'Rat' was leaning into Riddles left side and whispering what was undoubtedly the secret to his parents home. When Riddle turned back to the small cottage, Harry knew the secret revealing had brought the Fidelius down around the cottage as he felt the magic in the air take effect. Taking his time, and closing one eye, he trained his weapons scope and aim, with his trigger finger removing the safety on his weapon, taking a breath, he pulled the trigger.

With the magical silencing of the weapon and the charms used to stop the recoil working as he hoped, he watched as the right leg of Peter Pettigrew was obliterated. Riddle spun and trained his wand every which way, but could not find the source of what attacked his magical slave. Peter was wailing his head off while holding what remained of his now bleeding and chunky leg. Riddle did as Harry hoped as the hardened warrior retrained his weapon after removing the spent jacket and slipped in a new round into the chamber, slamming it into the barrel. Taking a moment as Riddle was forced to put Peter out of his misery, Harry reached the trigger again and pulled. Seconds after Tom Riddle ended Peter's life via a deathly green Killing Curse, his head was removed from his shoulders, chunks of it going all over the place, from the walls and door of the cottage, to the front lawn of where he stood as his body fell backward.

Harry quickly emptied the chamber and stood. With a turn and a 'crack' of his own, he apparated in front of his parents cottage and waited with a jeweled item in hand. It took him hours with his mothers instructions on the last day of his being in his original time, to create what he called a soul gem or in this case, a soul prison for just this moment. He didn't have to wait to long as Riddles damaged soul began to rise from his body, visually. Taking this moment to hold it out before him, Harry began to chant in Ancient Latin, the jewel glowing white.

The main soul cried out in fear and despair as no matter how hard he fought, his resistance was useless as he was pulled into the stone. He looked down into his hand and smiled as the stone turned dark gray, signifying that it was a success and that Tom Marvollo Riddle was finally caught. Bringing the stone to eye level, his smiled widened, "You jumpy, slippery bastard, I gotcha now."

So enthralled with his successful capture of his long time enemy, he almost missed the door of his parents cottage opening.

Here's the first part of this newly re-edited story. Let me know what you think. Remember to read and review. Until next time.