A Step In Time

by NessaRose

Summary:

Harry somehow ended up in the past during the battle in the Department of Mysteries. Now he's meeting his family, getting sorted into Slytherin, and falling for a Black. What could possibly happen?

Chapter 1

Notes:

Edited 01/04/2021

Everything around him was crashing to the floor, rows and rows of prophesies that would remain unheard. Harry really couldn’t bring himself to feel an ounce of guilt at the fact, not if his suspicions were correct. There was only one reason his name would be on that orb and he was furious that it had taken him until this point to realize that it existed.

 

And, apparently, everyone else was told. Of course, why would Harry know more about his life than anyone else? That was how everything always seemed to go.

 

He dodged yet another curse thrown his way and cursed as his foot skid on some of the glass shattered on the floor. He managed to catch himself before he fell completely but it lost him enough time that he was unable to completely avoid a bright red curse that was coming toward him. The curse hit his shoulder and Harry couldn’t stop the cry of pain from escaping as his entire right side felt as if it was on fire. He stumbled back and yelled out as he crashed into a series of shelves. He ducked his head as glass began to crash around him and things slammed down onto his uncovered arms and head.

 

There was yelling and he uncovered his face long enough to look up as yet another curse came flying his way. Harry dove to the ground, slicing his arms and knees on the glass around him. Whatever was unbroken on that shelf was now falling on top of him, creating a very unpleasant and painful sensation.

 

And then it was all gone.

 

The sudden silence made Harry tense for only a moment before he pushed himself to his feet.

 

Feet that were no longer stepping on shattered glass.

 

The room was dark. None of the Death Eaters that had only moments before been chasing after him and tossing curses his way were there. “Ron?” He called loudly turning his head frantically as he searched for his friend. “Hermione?!” No answer. “Neville? Ginny! Luna!”

 

His shouts echoed back toward him.

 

His chest tightening, Harry cautiously moved forward. He looked ducked around rows of shelves, checking each aisle to make sure the Death Eaters weren’t waiting to ambush him.

 

Wait.

 

Shelves.

 

Harry stopped and blinked at the shelves. The unbroken shelves that were filled with orbs. Orbs that contained prophecies. Prophecies that were not broken.

 

What was going on?

 

Harry retraced his steps through the Department of Mysteries. Not a soul was in sight. His friends were gone. The Death Eaters. There were no Ministry employees. No one…

 

He continued out of the department, completely confounded on what was happening. This couldn’t have been a trick. Not with all of those orbs intact. Not with his friends gone. They wouldn’t have left him. The Death Eaters didn’t have enough time when he was on the ground to put that room back together. So what was going on?

 

He wandered toward the entryway of the Ministry and glanced at the empty halls. Well, at least that hadn’t changed.

 

“Young Man! Come over here!”

 

Harry froze. No, no he was right that no one was there. He would have noticed them if they were. But that voice… “Over here! Honestly,” the voice grumbled. Harry turned his head and sucked in a deep breath at the line of portraits on the wall.

 

Well, that was new.

 

“Uh, hi?” Harry asked the line of portraits. Each had their eyes fixed on him quizzically.

 

“Yes, you! How did you get in here? Did anyone see him come in?” A man demanded from one of the portraits on the far right. “Boy! Who are you?!”

 

Harry instantly felt dislike toward the man. Probably because of his being referred to as boy. He was probably always going to respond negatively to that name after his uncle. “Harry Potter. Who are you?” Harry snapped in response, his hand tightening around his wand instinctively.

 

“I am-“ the man started pompously, only to be cut off by another portrait hanging a few away from his own.

 

“Oh, stuff it, Charles. Potter, you said?” The man asked, looking at Harry curiously. Harry nodded and glanced down, looking at the nameplate hanging below the portrait.

 

Linfred Potter

Creator of Skel-Grow and Pepperup

 

Harry blinked. Linfred Potter? “Uh, yeah. Sorry, who’re you?” Harry questioned, moving forward curiously.

 

“Linfred Potter,” Linfred commented with a bright grin. The older man ran a hand through his messy, dark hair. “Sorry, but I’m afraid I wasn’t aware of someone in my family by the name Harry at this time. Who’re your parents? Do I need to have a discussion with one of my descendants?”

 

“I-I don’t,” Harry started, stumbling over his words as he tried to understand what was happening. “Uh, parents. Right. James and Lily Potter. I…I didn’t know there were any other Potter’s alive…” he breathed. If there were still members of the Potter family, why was he sent to live with the Dursley’s? And why had they never come forward to meet him? He would give anything to have a family that cared for him.

 

“James? James Potter? Son of Fleamont?” Linfred demanded, somehow moving even closer to his frame as he stared at Harry with wide eyes.

 

Fleamont? “Uh, no clue,” Harry admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as he admitted that he didn’t know much about his family. “My, uh, parents died when I was young. Wait, you don’t know who I am?” he breathed, his eyes growing wide as he stared at the man. Linfred frowned and shook his head. Harry felt dread begin to pool in his chest. “None of you?” He demanded, glancing down the row of portraits. They all just looked at him in either irritation or concern as they shook their heads.

 

Oh.

 

Oh no.

 

“What year is it?” Harry asked, his voice growing higher than usual as his mind began to put all the pieces together. The intact orbs. The lack of his friends and Death Eaters. The portraits that he just knew weren’t on the wall when they walked in.

 

“1977,” Linfred answered slowly and his eyes grew wide as Harry paled.

 

1977?

 

“Oh no,” Harry moaned, staggering back as the implications hit him. “No, no, no, no…”

 

“Harry? This might be odd and I hope I am way off but when you came into the Ministry this evening, what was the year?”

 

“1995.”

 

Instantly, all of the portraits started yelling out, many of them running from their own frames into Linfred’s which Harry was still standing in front of. Linfred stared down at Harry, his hazel eyes locking on Harry’s green ones. The portraits all continued to yell out questions and push one another as they struggled to get a closer look at Harry. Harry couldn’t focus on any of the questions. It was like he was in a fog. None of the words being said made any sense.

 

He was in the past.

 

1977.  

 

1977. He wouldn’t be born for another three years. That meant his parents would be….well, he wasn’t sure. He didn’t know how old they were when he was born. But it did mean that they were alive.

 

Alive.

 

“I think it best that I contact Fleamont. Harry, if you would be so kind as to leave the Ministry,” Linfred finally said, causing every portrait to stop speaking. “It would be a rather difficult situation if someone was to catch you here. And I’m sure none of my companions will be alerting anyone as to your presence.” He shot the other portraits a glare that had each of them agreeing, though there were a few that seemed reluctant to do so. “Harry, do you know of an establishment called the Three Broomsticks? I have heard young James speak of the place…”

 

“I- uh, yeah. Three Broomsticks. I know it,” he answered, somewhat confused. His brain still didn’t seem to be working properly.

 

“Good. Head there this instant and I will go speak to Fleamont. He will be there to meet you.” Linfred turned and disappeared from his frame, leaving all of the others that had pushed their way in to stare at Harry.

 

Well, he supposed he needed to go to The Three Broomsticks and wait for the man who was, apparently, his grandfather.

Chapter 2

Notes:

Okay, we get to meet Harry's family! And yes, I did add some extra characters...wiki mentions Charlus and Dorea's "unnamed son" so I gave him a name and put him in the story. :P

Edited 01/04/2021

Harry shifted anxiously in his chair at the Three Broomsticks. He was used to people looking at him – he didn’t like it, but he was used to it – but this was different. Usually, people stared at him because he was Harry Potter. But now, people seem to be staring at him in curiosity, because they didn’t know who he was. He heard more than one person whispering about him obviously being a Potter but he wasn’t one that was known. They started talking about an affair and wondered whose child he was. He ducked his head and considered just leaving. He wasn’t sure how long he had been here but it seemed like it had been hours. It probably didn’t help that he didn’t have any money with him so he was just taking up space. More than one person had sent glares his way. He shifted once again as another person sent a confused and inquisitive glance toward him.

 

Yeah, maybe waiting outside would be the best option.

 

He had just stood when the floo flared to life and someone with extremely familiar features stepped through. He was taller than Harry, which wasn’t surprising considering everyone seemed to be taller than him, with the same messy brown hair, though his was mixed with silver, and hazel eyes covered by glasses. The man, who was probably in his late fifties or early sixties, glanced around the room for a moment before his eyes rested on a frozen Harry. Recognition flashed across his features and the man was quick to stride forward and wrap his arms around Harry. Harry tensed. He was unused to physical contact. Hermione hugged him occasionally and Ron would sometimes place a friendly hand on his shoulder but beyond that, no one really touched him.

 

And now here he was. Being hugged by a man he had never met. A man that might actually be the grandfather that he had never had the chance to meet.

 

“Well, that ought to cause quite the scandal,” the man whispered in amusement. Harry blinked, glancing around to see every single eye, even the ones that had pointedly avoided him earlier. The man was still chuckling as he dropped his arms and took a large step back. “Come along now, Harry. Everyone is waiting for you.”

 

Harry opened his mouth to question exactly who ‘everyone’ was, but he was ushered toward the fireplace. “Go on,” the man urged. Harry stared at him helplessly.

 

“Wh-where am I going?”

 

The man’s expression faltered for a moment but the easy smile was quickly back in place. “Potter Manor.”

 

Harry’s brows furrowed. There was a Potter Manor? He didn’t remember anyone having mentioned it. Was that where his parents had died? What had happened to the house? He stepped forward and grabbed a handful of floo powder. “Potter Manor!”

 

He stumbled out of the fireplace a moment later. It wasn’t the most graceful landing but at least he managed to stay on his feet. The floo came to life and Harry quickly stepped to the side as the man stepped into the room. “Well, Harry, welcome to Potter Manor,” the man said, smiling as he gestured to the room. Harry looked around curiously, taking in the elaborate but welcoming furnishings and the warm tones. “I have a feeling that this is the first time you have seen the Manor, Harry.” Harry nodded, not looking his way as he continued to examine the room. “Ah. I feel as if I should have introduced myself earlier. I am Fleamont Potter, father of James Potter and,” he took a deep breath. “From what I have been told, your grandfather.”

 

Harry had turned toward the man as soon as he had said his name. So this was his grandfather. “I don’t know for sure, sir,” Harry answered him, giving a bit of a sheepish smile. “I don’t really know a lot about-“

 

“Yes, Linfred has told me what he knows of the situation,” Fleamont said, his smile fading as worry flashed through his eyes. “But enough of that for the moment. There are some people I would like you to meet.” Fleamont wrapped a light arm around Harry’s shoulder and led him out of the room. Harry found himself twisting his neck back and forth, trying to take in all of the décor and portraits that stared at him as they passed. They finally came to a large dining room where three people were crowded at one end of a table that was covered in food.

 

“Oh!” An older woman stood quickly and hurried toward him, pushing her grey hair out of her eyes. “Hello!” she said with a soft smile as she reached out to pull Harry toward her. Once again, Harry felt his entire body tense, despite the fact that he attempted to remain loose. The woman pulled back and her brown eyes flew over his face, taking in each and every detail. Harry saw her eyes pause just slightly on his scar before she reached out and brushed a soft hand against his cheek. “Oh, you are certainly a Potter. Those eyes…I’ve heard James spout off enough nonsense about that Evans girl to know where they came from!” Fleamont laughed and stepped forward to pull the woman against him.

 

“Harry, this is my wife and your grandmother, Euphemia Potter,” Fleamont introduced and Harry found a new interest in the woman -who was frowning.

 

“Harry, dear, are you hurt? Your clothing seems to be a bit…”

 

“I’m fine,” Harry quickly informed her. He knew how he had to look, with his usual overly large clothing and the events that had taken place at the ministry. And, actually, Harry really did feel fine. He was sure he should probably be in some sort of pain between the glass and shelving that had fallen on him, and that spell he had been hit with, but he wasn’t in any sort of pain. He didn’t want to be any sort of bother.

“Well, if you’re sure…you are very skinny, dear. Come, let’s eat. We weren’t sure what your tastes were so we had the elves prepare a mixture of dishes.” She threaded her arm through Harry’s and led him down the room, toward the other two people that were still sitting at the large table. Fleamont took the chair at the head of the table while Euphemia sat on his left. She pulled Harry down beside her, across from another woman that was significantly younger than her but still had at least a couple of decades on Harry.

 

Actually, the woman looked extremely familiar.

 

“Harry, this is Fleamont’s younger brother, Charlus,” Euphemia introduced the man sitting on Fleamont’s right beside the other woman. “You can probably tell that Charlus is just a bit younger than Fleamont-“

 

“Now, now,” Fleamont started, his eyes flashing with amusement as he moved some sort of meat onto his plate. “I think our appearance is close enough that-“

 

“Don’t be naive, dear,” his wife teased. “Charlus is, after all, young enough to be your son.”

 

Charlus laughed loudly, leaning over to slap his brother on the shoulder. Fleamont rolled his eyes at his wife and sat back in his chair. “She has you there,” Charlus chuckled. His brown eyes, a darker shade than his brothers, landed on Harry. “My father had Fleamont when he was young. His first wife, Fleamont’s mother, died during childbirth. He didn’t marry again for almost twenty years and they had me when Fleamont was twenty-one.”

 

“Thank you for the history lesson, Charlus,” Fleamont said wryly as he took a bite of whatever it was that was on his plate. He tilted his head in Harry’s direction. “Eat! I know that this is all a bit confusing but you need to eat.”

 

Harry blinked down at the food. There was so much he didn’t know what to choose. Hell, he didn’t even know what half of it was! He hesitantly reached out toward the closest dish and scooped a little of it on his plate. He then saw a dish that looked kind of like chicken and he took some of that as well. “Try the green beans, dear,” Euphemia said as she began to put some on his plate. “They are lovely.”

 

Harry gave her a hesitant smile and took a small bite of the green beans. He paused as the flavor hit his tongue. He was never really one for vegetables of any type but these really were good. He quickly took another forkful. “This is my wife, Dorea Potter.” Harry’s head titled as he looked at the woman across from him. Where had he heard those names before? Charlus and Dorea…

 

“Oh!” He said out loud in recognition. Everyone’s eyes widened and Harry flushed. “Sorry. I just…you’re on the Black tapestry. I recognized….” He trailed off as their stares increased. “What?” Did he do something wrong?

 

“When did you see the Black tapestry?” Dorea asked, her brows furrowing. Now Harry knew why he thought she looked familiar. Her bone structure was similar to Sirius’s and her eyes were the exact same shade as his. Her hair hung in ringlets down her back and was just a shade lighter than Sirius’s. She was certainly a Black.

 

“Uh, my godfather…Sirius…”

 

They all exchanged a glance. “Well, that’s understandable,” Dorea finally said, nodding her head. “Sirius and James are close. Though I am surprised Sirius would willingly go into the Black House. And take you with him.”

 

Harry shifted and stared down at his plate. “There were…uh…reasons.”

 

A second of silence and then Fleamont cleared his throat. “Reasons that we will discuss later tonight. For now, let’s get to know one another. So, Harry, how old are you?”

 

“Fifteen,” Harry said quickly, wanting to get back to the easygoing conversation. “I’ll be sixteen in July.”

 

“Fifteen,” Charlus mused. “Fifth year?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Ah, OWL’s year. That’s a big one,” Fleamont grimaced. “I hope you are prepared.”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Harry muttered, quickly taking a bite of the chicken.

 

It was amazing.

 

He also didn’t think it was chicken.

 

He wondered if he should ask what it was. But, well, it was really good. And he wasn’t sure that he wanted to know.

 

“Charlus and Dorea’s son will be joining us shortly,” Fleamont told Harry. Harry paused with the fork halfway to his mouth. Son? They had a son?

 

The confusion must have shown on his face because the adults once again exchanged a glance. “Caelum is twenty-six and works for Gringotts,” Dorea informed him, worry in her eyes. Probably at Harry’s lack of recognition. “He and his wife, Eileene, recently had a son. Archie will be a year old this August.”

 

Caelum? Eileene? Archie? The names didn’t sound familiar at all.

 

If Archie was almost a year old…he would have only been a few years older than Harry.

 

But Harry never heard of another Potter in the wizarding world.

 

What had happened to the rest of the Potter family?

 

The meal continued, everyone making polite and somewhat stilted conversation around him. It was obvious they were all wondering the same thing and they were all avoiding the issue. Harry knew that they wanted to ask but he didn’t know what information he could give them. No one had ever told him anything about his family beyond the mention of his parents. He had seen Charlus and Dorea’s names on the Black tapestry but even then, he hadn’t got any more information.

 

They finished eating and stood, Harry following a moment after the rest. “Let’s see if Caelum has arrived,” Fleamont proclaimed as they walked out of the room. Harry was led down yet another hall and into another room, this one larger than the one he was in earlier and even more…comfortable.

 

“The family room,” Dorea told him. Harry hadn’t even noticed the woman had dropped back to walk beside him. “The room you arrived in is one usually used for guests. This room is for family.” Harry nodded to show he understood.

 

“Who is this then?” A young voice asked. Harry’s eyes met a pair of steel grey, the same shade as his godfathers. The young man had the signature Potter hair and glasses but the eye color and facial features were obviously from his mother. If Harry had to guess, he would put him in his middle to upper twenties.

 

“This is Harry,” Fleamont told his nephew, slapping his hand down on his shoulder in greeting. “He has the most amazing story to tell us – not that any of us know it yet. We were waiting for you to arrive.”

 

The young man’s eyebrows rose. “I see.” He shot a smile Harry’s way. “I’m Caelum Potter. This is my wife, Eileene and my son, Archie.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” the young woman at Caelum’s side smiled. She had dark brown hair and remarkable icy blue eyes that her son seemed to share.

 

“You too,” Harry muttered, uncomfortable yet again. He was always horrible at meeting new people.

 

Caelum turned toward his father and uncle. “So, we’re here for a story?”

 

Fleamont nodded. “Tippy!” a house-elf appeared with a loud pop! “Tippy, please watch Archie while we meet in the Council Room.” Harry didn’t know what the Council Room was but judging from Caelum’s shocked expression, it was something big.

 

“Yes, Master Flea, sir!”

 

Charlus chuckled and both Euphemia and Dorea hid a smile behind their hands. Eileene giggled as Caelum shot a teasing grin toward his uncle. “Thank you, Tippy,” Fleamont said, not seeming to take any offence toward the name. “Come on, then. I’m sure Linfred has them all prepared.”

 

Caelum’s eyebrows rose yet again but he shrugged his shoulders at Harry as they all began to move down the hallway. “Some story you have to tell, huh? Uncle Fleamont doesn’t even have James sit in front of the Council when he gets in trouble for some stupid prank.”

 

“What’s the council?”

 

Caelum tilted his head and looked at him quizzically. “Yes, very interesting.”

 

Well, that wasn’t an answer.

 

However, he figured it out soon enough.

 

Fleamont led the group into a large room that had a large desk in the middle. A chair sat behind the desk and behind that was a set of chairs and two couches. The chairs were facing a line of portraits on a curved wall, so each portrait could see the person sitting in front of them as well as each other. Each portrait contained a person that was obviously part of the Potter family. Harry spotted Linfred right in the middle of all these portraits and the man winked at him as he walked in.

 

“Harry, this is the Potter Family Council. The heads of the line…most of them, anyway…have a portrait kept in this room to offer council and guidance to those in the Potter family,” Fleamont explained. Harry saw the portraits exchange a glance. “You have met Linfred, of course. Linfred has a portrait in the Ministry because of his work with various potions, but he is the oldest of the Potter line.” Linfred bowed his head at the introduction. “On his right is Hardwin, his oldest son. Gilbert is beside him, he created many different spells. Merrill was a researcher. Leander was a potions master and worked in the department of mysteries. On Linfred’s left is Zedock, one of the most well-known curse breakers. Ralston was a member of Wizengamot. Ulysses was a healer and was responsible for many advancements in healing magic. And Henry, who was also a member of Wizengamot. Everyone, this is Harry Potter. I’m sure Linfred has explained the situation.”

 

“It is a bit worrying that you are unaware of who we are,” Ralston spoke, his head tilted and his eyes narrowed. “Linfred mentioned that you did not even know your grandparents names.”

 

“I – uh, no. No one ever told me,” Harry admitted.

 

“How is that possible?” Gilbert demanded, his arms crossing over his chest. “Speak!”

 

“Now, now,” Linfred reprimanded as Harry stared at Gilbert’s portrait in surprise. “Harry is here to explain the situation. But Harry,” Harry turned toward the first Potter he had met. “Why don’t you start from the beginning.”

 

“Yes,” Ulysses agreed, looking at Harry in a scrutinizing way. “I was known as one of the best healers of my time, Harry, and just by looking at you I would encourage Fleamont to take you to a healer.” Harry tried not to feel offended by the statement. “We would very much like to hear about your life and what has led you here.”

 

“Yes,” Linfred agreed. “We ae all interested. If you would please, Harry.”

 

Harry swallowed hard. They wanted to know everything. And he had an urge to tell them. But how much could he tell him? What was safe? What would mess everything up?

 

Did he even care?

Chapter 3

Notes:

Thank you guys so much for your interest in this story! I hope you enjoy the chapter...

Edited: 01/04/2021

“Bad things happen to wizards who meddle with time, Harry."

 

The words rang though his head. He knew what Hermione would say. He knew that Dumbledore would be upset with him. But, in his own time, Hermione along with the rest of his friends were battling for their lives in the Department of Mysteries. He felt a pain of guilt when he realized he hadn’t thought about his friends in hours. One of them could be dead.

 

Or would be.

 

Time travel was confusing.

 

And Dumbledore hadn’t spoken to him all year. He actively avoided Harry, in fact.

 

It as if things were great in his time. His parents were dead. He was stuck living with the Dursley’s. Sirius had been wrongfully imprisoned for twelve years and was still on the run, living in a house he despised. Remus had lost all of his friends. Harry’s friends were constantly in danger. Voldemort had returned. Hogwarts was falling apart with Dumbledore gone. The Ministry was a joke.

 

What did he really have to lose?

 

Plus, he was pretty sure he had already messed up everything, anyway.

 

“I was born on July 31, 1980,” Harry heard a muffled gasp and someone choke behind him. He winced. He had forgot that Caelum and Eileene weren’t aware of the situation. Oops. “I don’t…I don’t really know much of what happened. Voldemort-“ more gasps and a muffled curse, “he, uh, was after my family for some reason. I know that my parents went into hiding with me. I don’t know where or anything…” Harry trailed off and cleared his throat. It was becoming more and more clear just how little he truly knew. “Uh, on October 31, 1981, Voldemort found them. He killed my dad. Then my mom.” More cursing. Someone was crying. “Voldemort tried to kill me but…it didn’t work.”

 

“What do you mean, it didn’t work?” Ulysses asked, leaning forward. If Harry didn’t know better, he would have thought the man was going to fall out of the portrait altogether. “How did he try to kill you?”

 

“The killing curse.”

 

There were gasps and yells of protest. “That’s impossible! There isn’t a way to block the killing curse!” Gilbert snapped.

 

“But it happened,” Harry snapped back furiously. He had enough of being called a liar this year and he wasn’t going to let it happen here as well. “No one really knows how. Or why. Dumbledore might but he’s never told me. I got away with this,” he pushed his hair back and pointed at the scar on his forehead, “and somehow the curse…rebounded or something and hit Voldemort instead. He disappeared that night.”

 

“Disappeared?” Leander questioned. “You didn’t say that he died. You said disappeared.”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Harry reached up and ran a hand through his hair. “Uh, most people thought he died. But we’ll get to that later,” he muttered, shaking his head. If he was going to do this, he needed to do it in order or he’d get all kinds of confused. “Sirius found me at the house and gave me to Hagrid-“

 

“Why would he do that?” Euphemia gasped out and Harry twisted around to see his grandmother grasping his grandfather’s arm tightly, he eyes red and tear tracks on her face.

 

Harry bit his lip. “He…well, he was going after…can I tell you later? I didn’t find out about any of this until I was older and I need…”

 

“Just take your time, Harry,” his grandfather said solemnly, shifting so his wife was against his chest.

 

Harry turned back toward the portraits. “Hagrid took me to Dumbledore. Dumbledore gave me to my mum’s sister. I heard later that my aunt came out the next morning to get the milk and found me in a basket on her doorstep.”

 

“What?!” Fleamont roared. He wasn’t the only one. Many of the portraits were yelling out angrily. His grandmother had begun to cry once again. Dorea looked seconds away from cursing someone, as did Charlus.

 

And Caelum looked confused. “Your mum’s family? Why not us?”

 

Harry bit his lip. “I didn’t even know there were more Potters. I was told that I was…the last.”

 

Eileene gasped loudly, “Archie?”

 

Harry shook his head and the family once again started shouting questions. Harry just sat in the front chair behind the desk. Unable to answer any of the questions that were being thrown at him, Harry just continued to shake his head until Linford once again shouted for everyone to be quiet. “Alright,” he started, once everyone had somewhat calmed. “From what we can gather, within the next four years, the entire Potter family will be destroyed. To find out what we need to do to fix this situation, we need to hear the boy out. Harry, if you would continue.”

 

Harry nodded and kept his eyes focused on the desk as he continued. He would continue but they really didn’t need to know much about his time with the Dursley’s. “My mum’s sister is a muggle and I was raised by her and her muggle husband,” he tried to keep his voice firm but even he could hear the obvious break. He cleared his throat and continued. Ralston huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.  “My cousin is only a couple months older than me so they were stuck with an extra kid who wasn’t theirs… and they didn’t like magic much. I wasn’t told anything about my parents until I was eleven. Well, they told me my parents died in a car crash.”

 

“What’s a car?” Hardwin questioned.

 

“A form of muggle transportation,” Caelum answered hoarsely from behind Harry. Harry didn’t turn to look at him, instead keeping his eyes focused just to the side of Linden’s portrait.

 

“Why would James be using muggle transportation?”

 

“They didn’t want me to know about magic,” Harry said quickly and then kept talking so they wouldn’t think much about that statement. “My letter came on my eleventh birthday and my uncle tried to keep it from me. But they kept coming. Eventually, Hagrid was sent to give me my letter personally. He’s the one that took me to Diagon Alley and told me what happened to my parents. And about Voldemort. Uh…” Harry sorted through his memories, trying to decide what was important. Oh. “Uh, I went to get my wand and the one that chose me was the brother of Voldemort’s wand,” he bit his lip as the mutterings started up once again. “I went to Hogwarts and met my best friend, Ron Weasley.”

 

“Ah, the Weasley’s!” Merrill said with a smile. “I was close to one of the Weasley’s. Tell me, do they still stick with the tradition of having an outrageous number of children?”

 

Harry wouldn’t really call it ‘outrageous’ but considering most pureblood families have one or two children, he guessed he could see how that was odd. “Seven. Ron is the youngest boy and the second youngest overall.”

 

“Brilliant!”

 

“Please continue,” Hardwin said, rolling his eyes in Merrill’s direction. Merrill just grinned unrepentantly.

 

“Uh, I was sorted into Gryffindor,” he started and many of them nodded and smiled. He smiled back, thankful that he had left out the fact that the hat had wanted to place him in Slytherin. “Nothing really interesting happened until a bit later. I kind of made an enemy out of Draco Malfoy by refusing his friendship on our first day,” eye rolls and mutterings, “and he challenged me to a duel one night. Ron and I snuck out and Hermione Granger followed us. We ran into another friend, Neville Longbottom.”

 

“Longbottom is a familiar name,” Gilbert commented. “But Granger-“

 

“She’s muggleborn,” Harry responded, daring the irritating man to say another word.

 

To his surprise, Gilbert just nodded. “As I believed. Continue.”

 

“Malfoy had turned us over to Filch and we ended up running to avoid him,” Harry snarled, still angry about the incident. “We ended up on the third floor in the restricted area-“

 

“Restricted area?”

 

Oh. Harry hadn’t mentioned that. “At the welcoming feast, Dumbledore told us to stay out or we could have a painful death.”

 

“Excuse me?” Dorea snapped, getting to her feat angrily. “And why would someone as young as eleven have a painful death by stepping in a specific corridor of a school?”

 

“Because there was a massive three headed dog guarding a trapdoor,” Harry said bluntly and Dorea’s mouth dropped.

 

“A Cerberus? Inside Hogwarts? What is Dumbledore thinking?” Fleamont grated. Harry grimaced.

 

“Well, we saw the Cerberus and managed to get away,” he continued, not wanting to get into that until later. “Oh, I was placed on the Quidditch team-“

 

“As a first year?” Charlus asked, smiling brightly. “Good on you!”

 

“Yeah. But in my first game someone tried to kill me. Cursed my broom. I was fine,” he said quickly when it looked as if Euphemia was going to jump out of her chair and check him for injuries. She didn’t seem to be the only one upset. Harry wondered if it was wrong to feel a rush of pleasure at so many people seeming to worry about him. “Hermione thought it was Snape and she set his robes on fire-“

 

“Snape? As in Severus Snape?” Caelum asked, blinking in surprise. Harry nodded and the man groaned. “James and Snape don’t get along at all,” he explained to the rest of the room. “From what I’ve heard, Snape is one of the most targeted for James and his friends pranks. He’s your teacher?”

 

“Potions. And he hates me.”

 

“Brilliant move, James,” Caelum sighed.

 

Euphemia shook her head as well. “He’ll grow up eventually.”

 

“So you became friends with this Hermione?” Linfred asked, turning their attention back to the topic. “I don’t suppose she would set a professor on fire for someone that she wasn’t close to.”

 

Harry groaned. “Sorry. I keep getting things out of order. Um, on Halloween my Defense professor, Quirrell ran into the Great Hall during the feast and started screaming about a troll being in the dungeon. Dumbledore told us all to go to the dorms but Ron and Hermione had had an…argument earlier that day and Hermione was crying in the girls bathroom. Ron and I went to get her but by that time, the troll was out of the dungeon. He went into a room and Ron and I locked it inside.”

 

“You should have run!” Euphemia gasped.

 

“Well, we then realized we had locked the troll in the girls bathroom with Hermione,” Harry admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “So we went in. I, uh, reacted when the troll began to swing at Hermione and jumped on its back-“ he began to speak louder as the portraits began to reprimand him and both Euphemia and Dorea came to his side. “-and Ron managed to knock it out with its own club. So we kind of became friends after that. The professors found us and that was when we saw that Snape had been bitten by a dog. So we figured Snape had been trying to get past the Cerberus.”

 

“Why?” Linfred questioned. “What was the Cerberus guarding?”

 

Harry sighed. This was too confusing. “Uh, we managed to trick Hagrid into telling us that Dumbledore was protecting something for Nicholas Flamel-“

 

“The Sorcerers Stone,” Ralston spoke for the first time. He didn’t sound impressed. “Dumbledore was keeping the Sorcerers Stone in a school. To keep it safe. Why wasn’t it in Gringotts?”

 

“It was,” Harry informed them. “But Hagrid took it out right before someone broke into Gringotts and the vault it had been kept in.”

 

Ralston blinked and the other portraits began muttering once again. “Someone was able to break into Gringotts and get out? Without getting trapped?” Zedock questioned.

 

“Yeah. Big mystery. But when Hagrid told us that, we began to search for him. Let’s see…Hagrid hatched a dragon in his hut and we contacted Ron’s older brother who works with dragons. We were able to sneak out one night and give some of his brother’s friends the dragon but we got caught because Malfoy had turned us in. We got detention and ended up having to go into the Forbidden Forest and I got paired with Malfoy. Someone had been killing unicorns and Malfoy and I saw the person – drinking the unicorns blood.”

 

There was cursing and some of the portraits were shaking their heads in disbelief. “I figured then that the person that wanted the stone, that would risk being cursed by drinking the blood, was Voldemort.”

 

“Which is why you didn’t say he was dead. He wasn’t.”

 

“No,” Harry agreed. He took a deep breath. “Turns out that someone had tricked Hagrid and given him the dragon egg in exchange for information about Fluffy – the Cerberus.”

 

“Only Hagrid would name a Cerberus Fluffy,” Caelum muttered from behind him. Harry’s lips twitched.

 

“If you play music, Fluffy would fall asleep. So Ron, Hermione, and I all decided to tell Dumbledore what we found. But he wasn’t there. We tried to tell McGonagall but she just told us to go back to our dorm. So we waited until that night and went on our own.”

 

Euphemia groaned. “Oh, tell me you didn’t.”

 

“Sorry,” Harry muttered with a shrug. “We, uh, went and it turns out there were all these different trials from the professors. Fluffy was Hagrids. Professor Sprout put Devil’s Snare at the bottom of the trapdoor. Flitwick had a room with a bunch of flying keys and we had to find the right one to unlock the door. McGonagall’s was a giant chess game where we had to be pieces – it was only due to Ron that we made it through that alive. But he was hurt in the process…so Hermione and I had to go alone. The next was another troll but it had already been knocked out. Then it was Snape’s task. It was this riddle and there was fire…Hermione figured that one out but there was only enough potion to make it through the fire for one of us. So I drank it and she went back to get Ron help. When I got into the chamber, Professor Quirrell was there.”

 

“Quirrell? The Defense professor?”

 

“Yeah. I was surprised too,” Harry muttered, remembering the horror and surprise he had felt. “Turns out that Quirrell was the one trying to kill me and Snape was actually saying the counter curse. Anyway, Voldemort had…possessed Quirrell or something and was living like a parasite on the back of his head.” There were gasps of horror and some were looking at him in disgust. “Yeah. I got the stone in Dumbledore’s task and Quirrell tried to take it from me. But when he touched me…” Harry looked down at his hands. “I know now that my mum gave me some sort of protection when she died and Voldemort couldn’t touch me. Quirrell died and Voldemort became this spirit thing and disappeared.”

 

“And that was all your first year?” Euphemia asked, her voice shaking.

 

Harry nodded his head. “Yeah. I went back to the Dursley’s after that. Um, there was this incident with a house-elf…” Harry explained about not getting any mail that summer and then Dobby appearing in his room. He told about the letter from the Ministry, about going to the Weasley’s (Euphemia wanted to send them something in thanks. Fleamont told her they would have no idea what it was for.), about the confrontation in Diagon Alley with the Malfoy’s, and then about not being able to get onto the platform.

 

Euphemia groaned before he even said anything. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

 

“He’s a Potter. Of course he did!” Charlus laughed loudly. Harry could only smile sheepishly at his grandmother as he told them about flying the car to Hogwarts – and the consequences of doing so. He continued to tell about his second year, speaking quickly because he wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible – especially about his Parseltongue ability.

 

“The Potter’s have never had such a gift,” Linfred said, cutting Harry off. “Are we sure that this Lily Evans is muggleborn?”

 

“Our line has been entwined with many over the years,” Hardwin said, disagreeing with his father. “It is possible that the ability was just dormant until now.”

 

“It is unlikely that it would have never appeared until now,” Ulysses countered. “Parseltongue was a dying ability, even in my own time. Unless his mother also held the ability-“

 

“Or perhaps there is another reason,” Leander cut the former healer off. Harry’s eyes flickered toward the former unspeakable before flickering away instantly at the analyzing gaze. “Is there another explanation, Harry?”

 

Harry nodded is head sharply. “Dumbledore says that when Voldemort tried to kill me, he transferred some of his own powers into me.”

 

You would think that he would be getting used to the horrified gasps by now. “Transfer of power…” Ulysses muttered, his eyes wide as he stared at Leander.

 

“And the current Dark Lord disappearing. Possessing a professor…” Leander continued. Harry didn’t know what these two seemed to be discovering. Not with the way their eyes were locked on one another in a kind of horrified fascination.

 

“This is something we will discuss at another time,” Linfred said sharply and both portraits instantly averted their gaze. “Please continue, Harry.”

 

Harry frowned. He wanted to know what the two men were talking about but it was clear that the subject was closed. He began to speak about the petrifications and there was an explosion of cursing behind him. Harry turned in shock to see Charlus on his feet. “Again?! It happened again?”

 

Harry’s mouth was open but no words escaped. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say to that question. Dorea reached up and gently placed a hand on her husbands arm, a frown on her face. “Sorry. Charlus and I were both in Hogwarts when the Chamber was opened. A muggleborn girl was killed and Hogwarts was in danger of being closed. It wasn’t until one of the prefects caught-“

 

“It wasn’t Hagrid!” Harry cried out, knowing who the prefect in question was and who had been charged with the crime.

 

Dorea blinked. “I am aware of that. Though I do not know who the real culprit was, I knew even then that Hagrid was not the person responsible. However, the attacks stopped so it was believed that the danger had passed.”

 

“Of course it wasn’t Hagrid!” Charlus growled, his body so tense he was shaking as he scowled furiously. “I never liked Riddle-“

 

“That was clear, dear,” Dorea said in amusement.

 

“-and I got even more reason to hate be bastard after what he did to Hagrid! Him with his Slytherin followers-“

 

“Careful,” Dorea said sweetly, though he eyes flashed dangerously.

 

Charlus stopped, taking a deep breath. He reached over and placed his hand over Dorea’s. “You can’t deny that Riddle had a way with people. He got some of the most stuck-up –“

 

“Charlus.”

 

“-to follow whatever he said and then he disappeared. He broke those kids down enough that when he disappeared, they had no idea what to do on their own. You know as well as I do that some of them became followers of that madman when he began to promise-“

 

Wait.

 

“Riddle is Voldemort,” Harry said, cutting his great-uncle off.

 

Every eye in the room turned toward him.

 

“Wh-what did you say?” Dorea asked, her voice shaky and startled, losing her composure for the first time since Harry had met her. “Riddle disappeared a few years after we graduated. No one has heard from him. Many people think that he was killed when-“

 

“He’s alive. Tom Riddle is Voldemort,” Harry stated once again. Dorea just blinked at him, her hand tightening around Charlus’s. His great uncle was slowly paling beside her.

 

“How do you know that?” Euphemia questioned, her eyes landing on Dorea worryingly.

Harry was beginning to think there was more going on here than he was aware of.

 

“Uh, well…” Harry told them about the diary, about finding it and writing in it. He once again saw the Ulysses and Leander exchange a glance but he kept talking. He told them about the diary disappearing, about Hermione being petrified, about finding the paper in her hand and the realization of what was going on. Harry expressed the horror he felt when he and Ron overheard the conversation of Ginny being taken into the Chamber and how they had gone down to save her.

 

And then he told them about meeting a seventeen-year-old Tom Riddle. And finding out that he was Lord Voldemort.

 

Dorea gasped, her hand coming up over her mouth as tears filled her eyes and she shook her head. Charlus wrapped an arm around her shoulder but he didn’t look to be near as surprised as his wife. “I knew there was more to his little ‘study group’,” he growled. “Dorea and her cousins were always close to Riddle. Well, until our relationship was discovered in our seventh year. He and his little followers didn’t take too kindly to that.”

 

“Charlus!”

 

“What happened in the Chamber, Harry?” Fleamont asked quietly, not taking his eyes off of his younger brother and sister-in-law. Harry hesitantly told of his time in the chamber, glazing over just how big the basilisk was. He had a feeling his grandmother would not have been pleased by that revelation and he felt like he was using up whatever leeway he currently had. However, he had to explain exactly how he got the fang…

 

“Your arm?!” Euphemia gasped, fully standing and moving to Harry’s side. She dropped down to her knees and grabbed Harry’s arm, pushing his sleeve up so she could see the scar.

 

“But Fawkes cried on it!” Harry said quickly. She didn’t seem to find that very consoling as she continuously began to run her fingers over the wound. “So it healed and I used the fang to stab the diary-“

 

“What happened when you stabbed it?” Leander questioned in interest.

 

“It, uh, began to bleed ink? And Riddle…the fake one…disappeared.”

 

Ulysses let out a hiss as air escaped from his clenched teeth and he and Leander stared at one another. “Later,” Linfred stated sharply.

 

Harry took a deep breath. The next year was going to be difficult. “Okay, before I start – I know the truth now. So…just keep that in mind.” His grandmother, who had finally stood when Fleamont urged her to her feet, frowned even deeper than before. “Uh, in my third year, someone escaped from Azkaban.”

 

“What?!” Caelum yelped with wide eyes. “How?”

 

“I’ll get to that,” Harry muttered, running a hand through his already messy hair. “I met up with the Weasley’s in Diagon Alley,” he was not going to talk about the Dursley’s and his issue with Aunt Marge… “and Mr. Weasley told me that it was believed that the man that escaped was a Death Eater that would be after me.”

 

“Oh my,” Euphemia gasped, pressing her hand against her mouth as she stifled a sob. Fleamont wrapped her in a hug and looked at Harry over here head.

 

“Who was it?”

 

Harry hesitated. He knew he had to say it but he really didn’t want to. “Uh, Sirius Black. But he didn’t actually-“

 

“Of course he didn’t!” Dorea snapped as she shook her head frantically. Charlus nodded his agreement, as did the rest of the Potter’s.

 

“He didn’t. But I didn’t know that. Not then,” Harry winced, thinking back to the time he had absolutely hated his godfather. He went into detail of that year, including the Dementor’s and hearing his parents last moments. Even Fleamont closed his eyes tightly during that moment. Harry tried to go as quickly as possible. This…this had been one of the worst and best times of his life. Worst because of the Dementors. Because he had thought his fathers’ closest friend had betrayed his parents. But then he found out the truth and he was able to finally get some information that had been hidden from him for so long.

 

There wasn’t much interruption. It seemed that even the portraits found this to be a hard subject. Dorea was actually related to Sirius and had watched him grow up, so had Charlus. Caelum was his cousin. Or second cousin. Something like that. And Fleamont and Euphemia both thought of Sirius as another son. To know that he had been imprisoned for twelve years for betraying James, his brother in all but blood, and that he had actually believed he was to blame…it broke their hearts.

 

Hell, it broke Harry’s heart, just having to say it and think of it again.

 

“So, Sirius flew off and went into hiding,” Harry finished. “And I went back to the Dursley’s.” There was complete silence, everyone drawn into themselves after the difficult subject, and Harry decided the best thing to do would be to just continue. “Uh, the Weasley’s took me to the Quidditch World Cup that summer…”

 

The silence went on as Harry divulged what happened during his fourth year. Fleamont became furious when Harry explained that he had to take part in the tournament because of a contract – apparently with him being underage, his legal guardian should have been able to pull him from the competition. Harry merely shrugged. He was used to things like this in his life at this point. He went through the events of the tournament and then took a deep breath as he had to relive the nightmare of the graveyard. “He took…bones from his father,” Dorea said shakily, her voice betraying her disgust.

 

“Peter Petigrew killed that boy,” Euphemia unsteadily spoke. “That boy…that boy has been in my house so many times…”

 

“We don’t know if he follows Voldemort at this moment, love,” Fleamont consoled her. “He could have joined after he graduated. There is a chance to make sure none of this happens.”

 

“And he took your blood,” Caelum said to Harry, eyeing the scar Harry had revealed to the room as he spoke about Petigrew cutting his arm open.

 

“Voldemort returned,” Harry said, nodding his head in agreement. “He – he called his followers to him. Well, some of them, I guess? I doubt that’s all he has-“

 

“It was probably his closest,” Linfred told him.

 

“Oh. That makes sense. He, uh, talked a lot. Then he said he was going to kill me. He shot the killing curse at me and I used Expelliarmus-“

 

“You used a disarming spell. Against the killing curse. And you’re still alive,” Leander said flatly. “How?”

 

“Something weird happened. The spells hit each other and then everything started shaking-“

 

“Of course,” Leander breathed, his eyes growing wide. “You said you had brother wands. What did you see?”

 

Harry swallowed hard. “People…ghosts…started appearing out of his wand. My parents…” he cleared his throat and avoided everyone’s gazes. “My parents told me how to get away. They said that when I broke the connection, they would linger just long enough for me to get back to the portkey. So that’s what I did. I ended up back at Hogwarts with Cedric’s body.”

 

He continued to speak, telling about Moody, well, the fake one and the real one, about how people have yet to believe that Voldemort had returned, he told them about the troubles he had had in school that year (minus Umbridge’s detentions), and why he was in the Department of Mysteries. “But Sirius was not there,” Linfred said, his head tilted as he regarded Harry.

 

“No,” Harry agreed, his previous feelings of anger and shame overwhelming him. “He tricked me. He knew that our minds were connected and he used it against me. He wanted the prophesy…”

 

“The prophesy that you were not aware of and have no idea what is included in it.”

 

“…yeah.”

 

“Well,” Linfred sighed, glancing around the room. “It seems we have a lot of work to do. So, where do we start?”

Chapter 4

Notes:

Wow, thank you all so much! I didn't expect to get such a great response to this story! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Edited 01/04/21

“Information is valuable,” Merrill said slowly, his eyes somewhat glazed over as he seemed lost into his own mind. “The information we have been given is enough for us to make contingency plans. However, we still do not know why it is that the current Dark Lord targeted our family.”

 

“The prophecy,” Leander answered promptly. Every eye in the room turned toward him. “Even in my time, the orbs that hold the prophecies are spelled so that only the people the prophesy speaks of can remove them. If Harry was able to remove the prophesy, he is the one it spoke of. Whatever it said was important to the current Dark Lord. It would be logical to assume the reason he came after the family was because of whatever the prophesy said.”

 

“That doesn’t make sense!” Ralston protested. “If he already knew what the prophesy said, he wouldn’t have had to trick the boy into going to recover it!”

 

Harry made a sound of protest, even if he knew it was true. He had been tricked. He still didn’t like to hear about it. Especially this soon.

 

“Perhaps he was not aware of what it actually said,” Merrill continued, still in that dreamy tone. Actually, now that Harry was thinking about it, his tone reminded Harry of Luna Lovegood.

 

Who was still trapped somewhere in the Department of Mysteries in his own time.

 

Harry swallowed hard at the pang of guilt that overcame him at the thought.

 

“There is a possibility that he heard rumors of a prophesy and acted upon those rumors,” Merrill explained as everyone stared at him expectantly. “And after his plan to kill Harry failed, he decided he needed the actual prophesy so he could plan accordingly.” Merrill’s eyes focused in on Dorea. “However, we do not know the man beyond what we have been told. It is very fortunate that there is someone else here that knows him beyond what is widely known.”

 

Harry turned toward his great-aunt just in time to see her pale drastically, quite a talent considering how pale the Black family was already. “Lord Voldemort is completely different from the Tom Riddle I knew-“

 

“I disagree,” Charlus said promptly, ignoring the glare his wife sent his way. “I’d bet my teeth that Voldemort’s main followers are the same as his group of friends when we were at Hogwarts.”

 

Dorea looked as if she wanted to protest but Linfred was quick to ask, “And who would those be?”

 

“Abraxes Malfoy, Amon Avery, Robinne Lestrange, Edan Rosier, Dominic Mulciber, and Sebastian Nott,” Charlus instantly spouted names. Harry’s brows furrowed. He knew those names but…

 

“Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater,” Harry said slowly. “Abraxes is…”

 

“Lucius is Abraxes’s son,” Caelum told Harry helpfully. “He and I attending Hogwarts at the same time.”

 

“Oh,” Harry’s brows furrowed. “I don’t remember Malfoy every saying anything about his grandfather. And in the graveyard that night, Voldemort only mentioned the name Malfoy once.”

 

“So it is possible that Abraxes is no longer alive during that time,” Fleamont mused.

 

“I recognize the other names as well,” Harry said helpfully. “He said Avery, Rosier, and Mulciber. Nott too – I go to school with Theodore Nott. His grandson maybe?” Harry frowned.

 

“Sebastian Nott does not have children,” Fleamont informed him. “He had a son but he was killed in an accident many years ago. I have heard that he recently remarried. It is possible your classmate is his son.”

 

Harry shrugged, not really caring how the Slytherin was related to the known Death Eater. “There are more that I know but I have no idea if they’re Death Eaters now. I mean, you know about Pettigrew. Then there is Barty Crouch Jr-“

 

“Bartemius’s son?” Fleamont questioned in surprise.

 

“He’s the one that was masquerading as Moody last year,” Harry told his grandfather.

 

“He is a couple of years younger than James,” Fleamont said with a frown. “He attends Hogwarts. If Voldemort was…if he disappeared a year after you were born, he would have still been in school when he was recruited.”

 

Harry bit his lip and glanced toward his great-aunt. “I – I think he did. Uh, Sirius mentioned that his brother was a Death Eater and was killed by Voldemort when he changed his mind.”

 

Dorea’s head turned slowly, her eyes wide and horrified as she stared at Harry. “Regulus? Regulus was a Death Eater?”

 

“Uh,” Harry shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah. I mean, that’s what Sirius said when I asked about his brother…” Harry trailed off as Dorea sucked in a quick breath and clenched her jaw. Charlus placed a hand on Dorea’s shoulder and the woman leaned into the touch. Harry quickly changed the subject, wanting to give her a minute to deal with the information. “I don’t know if the people I saw in the graveyard are the same as the ones he went to school with-“

 

“Some of them, probably,” Fleamont mused, also eyeing his brother and sister-in-law. “But it is likely that they are their children.”

 

“Let’s get back on track,” Linfred commented. “At the moment, we will assume that the reasons for this Dark Lord’s interest in our family revolves around this prophesy. It is likely that the prophesy does not exist at this moment.”

 

“If the current Dark Lord does not exist in the time of the boys birth, the prophesy will no longer exist,” Zedock mused.

 

“I believe,” Leander remarked, “that Ulysses and I have some thoughts on that subject. However,” he hesitated momentarily, “it would be best if we discussed it further before we took any action.” Ulysses nodded in agreement and Merrill stared at the two in horrified comprehension.

 

“You think that-“

 

“We are considering it.”

 

Merrill let out a shaky breath. “I think it would be best if we separated and gathered what information we can.”

 

“I agree,” Hardwin responded quickly.

 

“What about the boy?” Ralston snapped out. “Is it possible to return him to his own time?”

 

Harry’s head snapped toward the portrait. Why wouldn’t he be able to return to his time?

 

Leander shook his head slowly and a pit opened in Harry’s stomach. “The moment he stepped into our time, a new timeline was created. Even if we could send him forward, the world he entered would not be the same as the one he left.” Leander looked toward Harry, the pity clear in his gaze. “I am sorry. It would be best for us to establish a life for you here, in our own time.”

 

Harry forced himself to nod his head as his throat grew dry. He wouldn’t have been able to answer even if he tried. He was never going to go home. He would never know what had happened to his friends. Never know the true reason of why Voldemort attacked his family. There were so many questions that were never going to be answered. And yet, he would be here, with a family. His family. And this time, he could make sure that none of the things from his timeline happened. He could make sure his friends were safe.

 

“Then we will need to create an identity,” Fleamont said, clapping Harry on the shoulder and politely ignoring Harry’s flinch at the motion. “I know my son well and I do not believe that he is yet…mature enough to handle the truth of the situation.”

 

Euphemia opened her mouth to protest but she ended up grimacing and nodding her head. “I have to agree that James might take the situation…badly.”

 

“Or he’ll take it too well,” Caelum muttered. He shrugged at the looks he received. “James has been talking about the Evans girl since he stepped foot in Hogwarts. Who knows what he’ll do if he finds out that, in one timeline, they have a child together.”

 

“Agreed,” Linfred commented. “Fleamont, please begin the process.”

 

“We could claim him,” Charlus said. Harry turned toward his great-uncle, eyes wide. Charlus smiled at Harry softly. Harry could only open and close his mouth like a fish. “It is well known that it was difficult for the two of you to conceive James,” Charlus continued, his voice gentle as he turned his attention toward his brother. “If the two of you had a second child, it would be known throughout our society.”

 

“We, however, lived abroad during that time,” Dorea concluded, nodding her head in agreement with her husband. “After Caelum started at Hogwarts, Charlus and I relocated to our home in Greece and we do not socialize much. It would not be unprecedented for us to have another child.”

 

“James might be a bit oblivious,” Caelum said in amusement, “but I’m sure he would have noticed an extra person when we visited during the summers. Especially someone his own age.”

 

There was silence and Dorea sucked in a deep breath. “Not if there was a reason for it to be a secret.”

 

Euphemia rose an eyebrow. “And what could possibly constitute a secret of that magnitude?”

 

“If he wasn’t my son.”

 

There was a stunned silence. “What?!” Charlus finally snapped. “I would never-“

 

“I know that,” Dorea said, placing a gentle hand on her husbands arm. “There have always been rumors regarding our decision to leave Britain. One of those rumors is that I forced you to move due to an affair.”

 

“I have heard such a thing,” Fleamont admitted, shrugging at his brother sheepishly as the man grew red. “I did not bother to comment as the idea was so preposterous.”

 

“It is,” Dorea agreed. “But it gives us the perfect chance. If I found out about the affair and made Charlus cut off all contact with the other woman, he would not been aware of his child’s existence. If we say that he was raised with his mother until her unfortunate passing this past year, it would explain why Harry is…unaware of some things.”

 

Harry was shaking his head. “I don’t want people to-“

 

“Dorea is right, Harry,” Charlus said, his voice gruff. “It’s the best solution.”

 

“But-“

 

“It happens often, Harry,” Caelum said softly. “A lot of purebloods have partners beyond their spouses. They are usually careful that not child will be conceived during these unions but accidents do happen on occasion. The child is usually raised with its mother until maturity.”

 

Harry’s jaw clenched. “I – I don’t want everyone to think badly of you.”

 

Charlus merely smiled. “It won’t be spoken about. Well, not to my face, anyway. And since James is heir to the Lordship and Caelum would be considered second in line, there won’t be any arguments about successor. They will keep their opinions to themselves.”

 

Harry knew he had lost this battle. He still wasn’t happy about it but the fact that they would do something like this for him…it made him feel like they actually cared about him.

 

“Alright,” Fleamont said after a moment of silence. “I will get things in order. I will need to go to Gringotts.”

 

“I am going to contact Regulus,” Dorea said firmly. “It seems as if he needs someone to speak with if he is entertaining the idea of joining Voldemort.”

 

“I will get Harry settled in here,” Euphemia said firmly. “I think it would be best if you all move into the Manor until everything is taken care of.”

 

Caelum and Eileene exchanged a glance before Caelum nodded. “We will go home and get our things in the morning,” Caelum agreed.

 

“Then let us separate for now,” Linfred stated firmly. There were murmurs of agreement and Harry could only blink in surprise as, one by one, his ancestors disappeared from their frames. Linfred was the last to leave, saying that they would speak with them the following day before he too vanished.  

 

“Every member of the council has at least one other frame,” Fleamont explained to Harry as the family stood. Caelum stretched his hands up over his head and Harry winced at the loud pop that echoed throughout the room at the action. “We will give you a tour and you’ll be able to see the family wing. There are portraits from every member of the Potter family, including a second portrait for each member of the council. However, most of them have portraits in other places as well. For example, Linfred’s portrait in the Ministry. They all have access to information that we are not privy to.”

 

Harry slowly nodded his head and wondered what happened to Potter Manor and what happened to the portraits. If the manor was destroyed, would the family members with portraits outside the Manor have been spared? Was it possible he could have found members of his family in important Wizarding places?

 

Why had he never searched? Why had the thought never occurred to him?

 

“I will begin brewing a blood adoption potion,” Dorea said calmly. “Once ingested, Harry will appear officially on the tapestry as Charlus’s son.”

 

“Thank you,” Euphemia told her, placing a soft hand on the other woman’s arm. “I know this is difficult.”

 

Dorea gave her a small smile. “We’re family. It is necessary and I do not regret my choice.”

 

“I’ll contact Dumbledore about getting him a place in Hogwarts next year,” Charlus said as he wrapped an arm around his wife.

 

“And you,” Euphemia stated, taking two steps toward Harry and wrapping her arm around his own. “Appear exhausted. I will take you to your room for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we will take a tour of the manor.” Harry didn’t even find it in himself to protest as his grandmother steered him out of the room and down the hallway.

Chapter 5

Notes:

Wow, thank you guys so much for the support on this story! I hope you all enjoy the update. I'll be updating again within the next few days!

Edited 01/14/21

Euphemia led Harry down the hall and to a grand staircase. Harry blushed as he tripped his way up the steps, his earlier adrenaline wearing off and his fatigue making itself known. Euphemia just smiled gently at him and continued up the stairs toward the second floor. “I had the elves prepare the room next to James,” she said as they finally stopped climbing and turned down a long hall. “Sirius stays with us occasionally as well, his room is across from James. Charlus and Dorea have a cottage in Godric’s Hollow but they have been staying in the main Manor with the war. Caelum and Eileene have a room on the next floor, the nursery is there and they want to be close to Archie.”

 

Harry nodded at the abundance of information. He felt like his head was going to explode. He was in the past. He had met his grandparents, his great-uncle and aunt, a cousin he hadn’t even known existed… it was so much. Too much.

 

He wanted to sleep.

 

“Here we are,” Euphemia said as they came to a stop. Harry glanced around, guiltily realizing he hadn’t paid the slightest bit of attention to how they had arrived where they were. His grandmother giggled slightly and squeezed his arm. “I’m sure that you will need some time, Harry, dear. I will check on you in a few hours. If you need anything before then, just call for Nissey.” Harry nodded and Euphemia smiled once more as she pushed the bedroom door open.

 

Well, it certainly wasn’t a bedroom.

 

At least, not one like Harry had ever seen.

 

There was a small sitting room that greeted him that held three, plush looking armchairs. They were surrounding an elaborate table. On the far right, a dark wood desk was sitting in the middle of the wall, two bookshelves on either side. Euphemia pulled Harry in and pushed open another door on the left wall. This led to a large bedroom, one that was easily the size of his own and Dudley’s. A bathroom with a large tub was seen through the open door on the right. “This…this is…”

 

“I hope you like it,” Euphemia said, looking a bit worried as she glanced around the room. “I had Nissey bring some of James old clothes for you as well, until we get something of your own. Those look as if they have seen better days,” she wrinkled her nose slightly as her eyes scanned Harry’s clothing, the same look she had given him in the dining room earlier that day.

 

Harry flushed. He was wearing some of his muggle clothing and, as usual, they were way too big for his slight frame. He glanced down, ashamed that he had been wearing these things when he finally met his family -and gaped at what he saw.

 

They were still the clothes he had put on that day but they were…torn, ripped…he could see drops of what looked like blood…

 

But he wasn’t in any pain.

 

Had he just not felt it yet?

 

“Take a bath, change into some of James’s old pajama’s, and get some sleep,” Euphemia said gently, placing a soft hand against Harry’s cheek. Harry swallowed hard around the sudden lump in his throat. “It has grown late. We will speak more in the morning. If you need anything, call for Nissey.”

 

“I – right. Thanks.”

 

“Anytime, dear,” came Euphemia’s soft response as she made her way out of the bedroom and sitting room, shutting the door softly behind her.

 

Harry waited just a moment, making sure she wasn’t returning, and then hurried into the bathroom. He tore of his shirt and looked at his torso, his eyes struggling to find the damage that he had obviously experienced. He remembered the glass falling on him. He remembered pain but…but he also forgot about it quickly enough and there hadn’t been any sign of it sense. And there wasn’t now. His skin looked perfectly normal. There weren’t any angry red lines, no sign of the blood that he had seen on his clothes…it was like it had never happened.

 

He looked at his shirt again. Obviously, it had.

 

He shook his head and turned around to grab the clothes his grandmother had mentioned, but when he did, something caught his eye. He quickly turned on his heel once again and saw it again. With a gasp, Harry leaned closer to the mirror. It was – it was there. He wasn’t imagining it.

 

He yelped and glanced down at his torso, his fingers pressing into the areas he remembered feeling cut. It was there too.

 

They looked like…scars. Like the cuts had healed ages ago. But…but they were…they were an odd color. Almost…golden.

 

Why did things like this always happen to him?

 

He looked up once again, only briefly catching the slight…sparkle? Glitter?...on his cheek as he did so. It was like the scars were shining as they caught the light. It was almost so fast that it could be blamed on a trick of the eye.

 

Unless you were looking for it.

 

Harry shook his head and moved away from the mirror. No. Bath. Bed. He could – could think about this later. He was sure there was some sort of explanation. Something that would make sense. Hermione would-

 

Oh.

 

Right. Hermione wouldn’t be able to help him. Hermione wasn’t even born yet. Neither was Ron or Neville or Luna or Ginny…or any of his other friends. Well, the twins were. And Ron’s other brothers. But they were…two? Three? They wouldn’t even know who he was.

 

He was never going to see his friends again.

 

Harry stiffly moved into the bedroom, picking up the clothes sitting on his bed, and then back toward the bath. He filled it quickly and stripped from his remaining clothes before stepping in and sinking below the surface.

 

At least with the hot water surrounding him, he could pretend there wasn’t any leaking from his eyes.

 

*****

 

He woke to a light knock on his door the next morning. Foggily, he wondered who would be at the door of his dorm room – all his dormmates were probably still sleeping and Hermione would just walk in. He huffed as the knocking continued and he rolled over, reaching for his glasses.

 

And met air.

 

Harry yelped as he hit the ground, the blankets surrounding him as they slid off of the bed. He sat up, confused, only to see dark blue walls.

 

Where am I?

 

The thought had barely crossed Harry’s mind when the door was slowly pushed open. “Harry? Are you alright?”

 

He looked toward the person that entered his room and instantly, his brain flooded with images. The Department of Mysteries. The orbs crashing around him. Meeting Lidner. His grandfather. Grandmother…

 

Who was staring wide amused eyes, her hand covering her mouth and her shoulders shaking as she attempted to stifle her laughter.

 

“I fell,” Harry said, a blush spreading across his cheeks as he pushed himself to his feet.

 

“I can see that,” she teased. Her voice was still slightly muffled as here hand was still in the way. “Breakfast will be served soon. Get ready and I’ll take you down to the dining room. I’ll just be in the sitting room.”

 

The door closed once more and Harry took a shaky breath as he struggled to understand that this – this – was real. He was really here.

 

And he was staying.

 

His emotions were a mess of contradictions. What had Leander said? He had created a new timeline. This time, even if his friends didn’t know who he was, he could make sure they were safe. But his friends from the original timeline – they were beyond his help. Beyond anyone’s help. And he was here. Living with people that he had always dreamed of meeting.

 

He felt guilty.

 

And happy.

 

Harry pulled on some of the clothes he found in his wardrobe and did his morning routine. He was quick, fully aware that his grandmother was still waiting for him, and stumbled out into the sitting room in only a few minutes. Euphemia gracefully stood from where she had been perched in one of the armchairs and her eyes dropped down to Harry’s clothing. She pursed her lips slightly and nodded. “They’re a bit big. We’ll need to get you some clothes of your own soon. But, enough about that. Breakfast?”

 

“Yeah- uh, yes. Please.”

 

Euphemia smiled brightly and once again wrapped her arm through Harry’s, She led him down another mass of hallways and the large staircase and Harry found himself in the familiar dining room once again. He flushed slightly, realizing the rest of the family, even little Archie, was there. “Harry!” Fleamont greeted as they walked into the room. He stood and pressed his lips against Euphemia’s cheek before clapping a friendly hand on Harry’s shoulder. It took everything Harry had not to flinch. “How did you sleep?”

 

“Uh, fine,” Harry stammered as he sank into the chair his grandmother gestured toward. “The bed is nice.”

 

Fleamont chuckled and took his seat once more. “Well, we got a lot of things sorted last night. Would you like to talk about them now or after breakfast?”

 

Harry’s heart dropped. He was still trying to get his head around everything that had happened the day before – he wasn’t sure he was up for much talking and planning today. He sucked in a deep breath and steeled himself. “Now is fine,” he murmured as he tentatively took the plate of food Euphemia had plated up for him.

 

Fleamont nodded and took a bite of his own food before starting. “We have spoken to Dumbledore and explained the situation,” he sent a wink Harry’s way. Apparently, he had given their story to the Headmaster, not the truth. Which suited Harry fine. After this past year, he was beginning to wonder just how much he could trust the Headmaster. “You will be able to join as a sixth-year student in September. However, in August, you will go to the ministry to take your OWL’s.”

 

OWL’s. Right. He had hoped to get away from that one.

 

“We collected the books used from the last five years,” Charlus said jovially. “After what you said about your schooling, we thought it would be best for you to have some…home tutoring this summer. To make sure you’re caught up with the rest of your class.”

 

The fork fell from Harry’s hand as he looked at his great-uncle, well, ‘father’, in horror. Charlus just laughed. “Don’t look so terrified. I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

 

“I myself will be training you in potions,” Dorea said curtly. “I did not like what you said about your potions professor. We will be starting at the basics and you will achieve an O on by the time you take the exam.”

 

“Maybe there is something to worry about,” Caelum teased. He held up his hands as his mother turned to glare at him. “You can’t deny it! Plus, I’m just getting into character. Teasing my little brother, right?”

 

Charlus chortled into his juice and Dorea frowned at her son. Eileene shook her head. “You’re not making it better,” the woman said quietly in her husband’s direction.

 

“I see that,” he laughed.

 

Euphemia sighed and gently patted Harry’s arm. “I’m sure you’ll be fine, dear. And don’t worry too much about the exams. Everything will work out as it should.”

 

Harry nodded uneasily and picked up his fork. He had never been the best when it came to completing his homework or his end grades, but he wanted to make his family proud. With determination rising in his chest, Harry promised himself he would do whatever he had to do to make sure they did not have a reason to be upset with him. Even if it meant spending each and every day in the library.

 

Hermione would be proud.

Chapter 6

Notes:

Edited 01/14/21

Harry kept his promise to himself and threw himself into studying. The books, obviously, were very different than the books he had in his own time but he was surprised how much…more he learned from them than he did in his own time.

 

The Transfiguration and Charms books had spells in them that Harry had never heard of before. He questioned Fleamont, who had been working with him on the subjects, why that would be and the man had just sighed. “Spells are disappearing each year as Wizengamot judges them as dark.”

 

“But-“ Harry had protested, looking down at the spell he was currently working on, “how could this be classified as dark?”

 

Fleamont had just sighed. “Harry, one thing you will learn is that magic is neither light or dark. The Potter’s have been known as a Grey family for hundreds of years. Magic is…Euphemia will be much better at explaining this. I’m sure she has planned in your history of magic lesson. Let’s just say, for now, that there are many spells that can be used for harm, even if that was not their original intention. It just takes one person to use it as such and others decide to put limits on it.”

 

Harry had tried to get more information but Fleamont was firm and they continued on with their lessons. Harry found himself wondering more and more about Fleamont’s comment that the Potter family was considered Grey. He had never heard such a thing before…actually, he was sure he had been told that they were a Light family.

 

Hell, he wasn’t even sure what being a Grey family meant.

 

Which is what prompted him to ask his grandmother during their History lesson.

 

He’ll never forget the look on her face. It was a mixture of shock and horror. “Harry…are you saying that such a thing is not known in just a few years? You’ve only heard of Light and Dark?”

 

Harry had shifted and nodded his head. Euphemia’s lips pursed but she had given him a detailed response. “Magic has been part of the earth since it was formed. It is in the very soil, the air. There are many legends of how wizards came to be able to wield such power. Nevertheless, in the early days, magic was pure power. Wands were rarely used and old magic reigned. Everything was about balance. The Old Religion would punish those that used magic for personal gain. If you created something, something else would be taken in return. As time went on, a group formed that rallied against the Old Religion. They attempted to find a way around the personal gain rules and upset the balance. They began to dive into a darker form of magic and it twisted their magical cores. Core magic is passed from parent to child. The Dark Families and the families that still followed the Old Religion began the First Magical War. It was bloody and many magical families were exterminated. It also had another drastic consequence – it brought the muggles attention toward them. Soon, not only were the magical families fighting one another, but the muggles were also attempting to eradicate them as well. The Goddess looked down on mess her children had started and came up with her own end. She came to the conclusion that her children did not deserve the power that they had and she pulled it from them, leaving only the bare minimum of what they had once held. All the families retreated in horror at what they had done but the muggles were not aware of what had happened. They continued to hunt magic users.”

 

“It was generations later that it was discovered magic could still be used, but in a very different way than it had been before. Wands were needed to concentrate the magic on items. The great power, power of life and death, were no longer a possibility. Neither were elemental magics. And it became clear that magic was no longer equal as it had been. There were some spells easier for certain families that were more difficult for other families. It became apparent what the differences are. Those families that opposed the Old Religion had difficulties with spells that would be considered “Light” magic. Those that had supported the Old Religion had trouble with magic that was known as “Dark”. And then there were those that could perform both, though maybe not as easily as those that were affiliated with that type of magic.”

 

“They are known as the Grey families. Those families that did not fully involve themselves in the First Magic War. Those that did not completely support the Old Religion but they did not dive into the darkness that twisted their cores. The Potter family is one of those. The Black family is known as having a Dark core while the Weasley family has a Light core.”

 

“So Sirius-“

 

“His core is dark,” Euphemia said, smiling gently, “but that merely means Dark magic is much easier for him to accomplish and control. It does not mean he is a bad person. Just as having a Light core does not make someone a good person. My own family has a Light core, as do I. Dorea, as a Black, has a Dark core. The Potter family is one of the few left that are still able to easily mingle with those that have both types of cores.”

 

“What about muggleborns?”

 

“They are an interesting case,” Euphemia sighed, a frown pulling between her brows. “Some believe that muggleborns…steal magic. I do not believe that is the case. Muggleborn’s can have any type of core. I believe that this is a sign that, in their family line, someone had magic. Perhaps they are descended from a squib and the magic finally grew strong enough to manifest in that person. Perhaps they are from one of the lost families. However, this is all unproven. All that is truly known is that most muggleborns do have Light cores but it is a possibility for them to have Dark or Grey cores.”

 

Harry had found as many books as he possibly could on the subject after that. This was something he had never heard of, something he had never learned. The more he read, the more apparent it became that any magic that was considered Dark or even Grey had slowly been forbidden in the magical world. Magics such as Necromancy and Alchemy were considered Dark while Time Magic was a Grey art. All three would result in time in Azkaban.

 

Considering Harry had, unknowingly, performed Time Magic, he decided his family was right to keep that little fact a secret.

 

Potions was another completely new experience. In their first lesson, Dorea had sat him down and questioned him relentlessly on what he knew of the subject. At the end of the inquisition, she had plopped a book on potions basics on the desk and told him to read through it that night and they would begin their lessons the next morning. Harry’s face had burned as he grabbed the book and made his way up to his room. He knew that he had problems with Potions, but he hadn’t expected it to be that bad. This book wasn’t even the one they gave to First Years…it was one they gave to muggleborn’s to read before their first year so they knew the basics.

 

It was embarrassing.

 

But he knew it was he right decision when he read the book.

 

He had no idea that cutting the ingredients different ways actually made them react differently in potions. He didn’t know that there was a reason you were supposed to add ingredients in a certain order and wait a certain amount of time. He had just thought that adding the ingredients would be enough. If he had this book before he started Hogwarts the first time, his potions scores probably would have been very, very different.

 

Well, maybe.

 

Snape had still been his Professor, after all.

 

After reading that book, things in his Potions lessons went quickly. Now that he knew why he was doing things, it was much easier for him to pay attention and do them correctly. Dorea had even seemed impressed by his Potions after the first few lessons.

 

It was in the beginning of the second week that Dorea finished the adoption potion. The entire family was standing around as Harry shakily raised the potions vial toward his lips. The potion wasn’t exactly pleasant but much better than Harry had had in the past (such as Polyjuice or Skele-gro). He placed the vial onto the table as his body began to shake. It was like ice began to flow throughout his veins instead of blood. Harry’s teeth chattered and he wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to stop the cold. As quickly as it started, it began to fade. First his feet grew warm, then his legs, his torso, his arms, his head…and then he was burning. He gasped, not in pain but just in the abrupt change. Finally, the heat faded as well and Harry let out a shaky breath. Dorea grasped his shoulders and forced him to look at her. Her gray eyes travelled over his features before she nodded once, sharply. “It is done.”

 

She stepped back as Euphemia pulled him into a tight hug. “You will always be our grandson,” she whispered in Harry’s ear. Harry nodded. Though he was now biologically Fleamont’s nephew, Fleamont and Euphemia would always be his grandparents. “Now,” she said, now loud enough for the rest of the family to hear her. “I suppose you want to look into a mirror. So narcissistic,” she teased as she pulled away and steered Harry toward the mirror they had set up before he took the potion.

 

Harry gazed into the mirror and blinked in surprise. There really wasn’t much of a difference. His face had grown a bit sharper, his cheekbones more prominent. He was a bit taller, judging by the way his shirt sleeves were raised a bit more than they had been before. The biggest change was his eyes. Gone was the bright green, now replaced by a light hazel. Harry had felt a pang at the loss but he supposed it would be for the best. It would be difficult to explain why his eyes perfectly matched the muggleborn Lily Evans.

 

Finally, it was time for James to return to Potter Manor. Harry was anxious the entire morning. How would James Potter react to knowing he had a new cousin? Especially one that had randomly appeared the way Harry had? Harry shifted from where he was sitting at the dining table. He had taken the seat across from Dorea, leaving the seat between himself and where Euphemia usually sat open. Euphemia and Fleamont had both gone to retrieve James from the platform.

 

“Calm down, Harry,” Caelum said in amusement as he looked at his younger brother. “It’ll be fine. And if James is his usual jerk self, I’ll set him straight.”

 

“Caelum!” Dorea snapped. “Do not speak of your cousin in such a way!”

 

“Sure,” Caelum readily agreed, winking at Harry. “Truthfully, James can be a bit of a prat but I really don’t think you have anything to worry about.” Harry nodded in response and Caelum sent him another smile before he turned to say something to his wife, low enough so Harry couldn’t hear. Eileene instantly reacted, lightly hitting her husbands’ arm.

 

Harry was sure he didn’t want to know what his ‘brother’ had said.

 

“We’re here!” Euphemia said, grinning brightly as she walked into the dining room with a familiar figure on her arm. Harry swallowed hard. Even now, he looked remarkably similar to James Potter.

 

“Your prince has arrived!” James said loudly, laughing when Caelum instantly threw a dinner roll at his head. He ducked and the roll hit the far wall. Dorea turned toward her son furiously but Caelum just rolled his eyes in response. “Alright, alright. I see where I’m not wanted,” James continued as he smirked at his cousin.

 

“You might want to reign in that ego before Caelum throws something bigger than a roll,” Fleamont said in amusement as he stood behind his son. “James, this is your cousin, Harry. Harry, this is James.”

 

James eyes landed on Harry and he blinked a moment in surprise. Then a wide, mischievous grin crossed his face. “Pleased to met you, Harry. Mum, dad, you sure you two don’t have something to tell me? Looks more like my long-lost twin than my cousin.”

 

“I think one of us would have mentioned if you had a twin brother, James,” Euphemia giggled as her son led her to her seat. James pecked his mother on the cheek as he pushed her chair in.

 

“Yeah, well, you would think someone would have mentioned another cousin as well,” James retorted as he plopped himself into his own chair. He instantly began to grab food from the middle of the table and load it onto his plate. Fleamont sighed at his son’s actions but didn’t say anything to reprimand him. “So, Harry, mum and dad said you’ll be joining Hogwarts next year? What year?”

 

Harry swallowed hard and tried to reply. No words came out. He cleared his throat, his face flushing. “Uh, sixth.”

 

“Ah, so you’re younger than me. I’ll be entering my seventh year,” James said as he shoved food into his mouth. “I can introduce you to some people in your year-“

 

“James, chew before you speak.”

 

James swallowed and gave his mother a cheeky grin. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Manners and all that,” he smirked in Harry’s direction, like they were in on some secret joke. Harry smiled back lightly. He was unsure of what was going on but the interaction was similar enough to how Ron and Mrs. Weasley acted that he felt like he could do so.

 

“Harry will be taking his OWL’s in August,” Dorea told James. “His schooling was a bit…lacking. We have lessons scheduled a few times a week to prepare him. Perhaps you would like to-“

 

“Yeah, not doing that, Auntie,” James said, scrunching up his nose. “I mean, uh, if you need help, I can do that,” he said, catching the glare his mother was sending his way. He shrugged his shoulders at Harry. “I just don’t want to do it all the time. This is summer break, you know?”

 

“It’s fine,” Harry murmured. “I’ll be fine.”

 

“You’re doing great,” Caelum said reassuringly, cutting off whatever reply James was getting ready to say. “Your Herbology is really coming along.”

 

“Thanks,” Harry said, flushing. Caelum and Eileene had taken over his herbology tutoring, while Charlus had focused on Astrology and Care of Magical Creatures. No one in his family had bothered with Divination and they had all agreed his Defense was more than passable. Dorea had hinted on more than one occasion that she would be happy to work with him on Ancient Runes if he wanted to drop Divination. Harry was considering it but he wasn’t sure if he was up for learning an entire two years’ worth of a subject in two months.

 

“Do you play Quidditch?” James asked, pointedly swallowing his food before he did so. Harry’s lips twitched.

 

“Yeah. Seeker.”

 

James entire face lit up and he smiled. “Great! We can play sometime – my friends will be over at some point and we can play three on three if we can convince Caelum to play,” he shot a conspiring glance toward his older cousin.

 

Caelum rolled his eyes. “Sure, I’ll play. I was a seeker as well,” he said to Harry. A smirk crossed his face. “It’ll be an interesting game, little brother.”

 

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle, “we’ll see. I’m pretty good.”

 

Caelum let out a moan. “James has been here for five minutes and he’s already corrupted him! I knew this would happen!”

 

“That was a bit more forward than usual,” Charlus laughed loudly. “But I wouldn’t say it’s a bad thing. You could speak up more often, Harry!”

 

“No!” Caelum continued to wail. “I must keep him away from James at all costs!”

 

“Try it!” James retorted, narrowing his eyes playfully and pointing his knife at Caelum.

 

Harry watched the interactions around him in awe. While the family was always at ease around one another and joked around often enough, the atmosphere was completely different with James mixed in. There was an era of levity that hadn’t been there until now and smiles were plastered on everyone’s faces. Even Dorea had hidden a laugh behind her hand more than once. It reminded Harry of the Weasley house whenever the twins pulled one of their pranks – well, until Mrs. Weasley found out.

 

Harry enjoyed it.

 

It didn’t change over the next week. Harry continued his lessons but, despite him saying otherwise, James joined him more often than not. He was very direct in correcting Harry if he was about to do something incorrectly or if he didn’t feel his family explained something clear enough. Harry was surprised to realize that James was actually one of the top students in his year. Caelum had told Harry that James probably would have been first, if he actually tried to do so. Instead, he spent most of his time focusing on pranks and his friends. He and Harry went flying a few times a week and James was adamant that Harry was going to be placed on the team. The Gryffindor seeker had graduated the year before and James had been dreading finding a replacement. He kept saying that he had to hold tryouts, for it to be fair, but he knew that Harry would be placed on the team.

 

It was a little over a week later that things changed. They had just finished dinner that night and were all preparing to go their separate ways when Nissey popped into the dining room with wide eyes. “Masters and Mistress’s needs to come to foyer! Little Master too!”

 

Fleamont and Euphemia glanced at each other before quickly moving toward he door. James was already in front of them, jogging toward the front of the house. Charlus clapped a hand down on Harry’s shoulder as they followed the others out into the foyer.

 

Harry’s mouth dropped.

 

A younger version of his godfather was standing in the foyer, leaning against the wall. In truth, it looked as if the wall was the only reason Sirius was on his feet at all. His entire body was shaking, blood was falling from his nose and mouth…and maybe his ears. He kept blinking as if he was trying to keep himself awake. James yelled his best friends name as he ran toward him, pulling the boy away from the wall. Sirius’s knees buckled and he tilted, falling into James. James arms came around him to keep him standing. “Mum!”

 

“Let’s get him to his room,” Euphemia fluttered, her hands coming to rest on Sirius’s cheeks. “We need potions-“

 

“Put him to bed. I will get them,” Dorea said quickly, sending her nephew a worried glance as she almost ran from the room.

 

Fleamont moved forward, putting his arm around Sirius’s waist and helping James support Siriius as they moved toward the stairs. “Caelum, water?” Euphemia asked as they moved past the family. Caelum didn’t respond, just ran toward the kitchen. “Nissey! I need towels! Put them in Sirius’s room! And help Dorea with whatever she needs.”

 

Harry stood there, staring at the place where his godfather had been. There was a smear of blood on the wall. He thought back to the day his godfather had told him that he had ran away to the Potter house after getting into an argument with his parents. An argument. Sirius had never said anything about this. No wonder his godfather hated his family home so much.

 

Harry would hate it too.

 

After a moment, Harry realized he was standing alone in the foyer. The rest of the family had followed after Fleamont and James. Harry hesitated for a moment, wondering if he would really be welcome. His heart was pounding in his chest and his hands were sweating. He wanted nothing more than to be in that room. In his time, Sirius had survived. But…but this was a new timeline. What if Harry had messed something up and his godfather never made it to his eighteenth birthday?

 

He needed to be there.

 

Harry ran up the stairs, thankful that he had finally found his way around the Manor, and slipped through the open door. Euphemia was sitting on Sirius’s bed, where the boy was lying. Dorea was standing over her, pouring potions down his throat. Most of the family was standing back, watching the two women work. James was pacing in front of the bed. He paused for just a moment when he saw Harry standing there but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t order Harry away or demand to know why he was there. Instead, he just made his way toward him and leaned against the wall, letting their shoulders brush together as they both stared at the bed as they watched their family attempt to save Sirius Black.

Chapter 7

Notes:

Sorry for the wait! This chapter gave me a bit of trouble. I hope you all enjoy!

Edited 01/14/21

Harry had to force himself to keep the smile on his face as Sirius and James roared with laughter in front of him. They were telling him stories of Hogwarts – well, mostly, they were telling him stories of situations their group had gotten themselves in and the pranks they played on other students. Again. “And then he flew through the air and-“

 

“Harry? Ready for your lesson?” Caelum questioned as he lightly knocked his knuckles on James open door.

 

Relief flooded his system. “Of course,” Harry said quickly, standing and giving James and Sirius an apologetic grin.

 

James pouted at his cousin, “Oh, come on! One day of missing lessons isn’t going to cause him to fail his exams!”

 

Caelum’s eyebrows rose, his eyes flickering toward Harry, and Harry shot a pleading glance at his ‘brother’. Caelum’s lips twitched up briefly before he schooled his expression and turned his attention toward his younger cousin. “No can do. Dad’s taking him to the Ministry next week. You can do whatever it is you want to do after that.”

 

“Spoilsport.”

 

“Always,” Caelum said good naturedly as he clapped his hand down on Harry’s shoulder. “Ready?”

 

“Yeah,” Harry said in relief. He quickly waved at James and Sirius. “See you guys later!”

 

“We’ll play Quidditch!”

 

Harry and Caelum walked out the door and into the hallway. Harry waited until they had turned down the next hall before he let his shoulders drop and he let out a tired sigh. Caelum chuckled and he wrapped a friendly arm around Harry’s shoulders. “So, I noticed you don’t really enjoy many of the stories those two tell about their pranks.”

 

Harry grimaced and ran a tired hand across his face. “I – I don’t dislike them.” At Caelum’s disbelieving expression, Harry groaned. “I just – I don’t know. It doesn’t seem very…nice.”

 

“Because it isn’t,” Caelum replied instantly. By that point, the two had stepped into the Potter Library and Caelum sighed as he sank into one of the comfortable armchairs. “Harry, I don’t know just how much you knew about your fa…about James. He’s a good kid, really, but he’s also his parent’s miracle child. Uncle never thought he was going to have a child. He had actually named me as his heir until the entire family was shocked to realize that Auntie was pregnant. They were very protective of him and he learned some…bad habits. Especially when it comes to getting what he wants. He is growing up, Harry. One day, he might even become the man people described to you. But right now…”

 

“Right now, he’s the bully I saw in Snape’s memories,” Harry muttered, thinking to the pensive memory he had seen earlier that year. At Caelum’s inquiring glance, Harry quickly, and a bit sheepishly, admitted what he had seen. Caelum paled during the explanation and, by the end, his face was buried in his hands.

 

“That…that is far beyond the pranks he’s told us about,” he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Probably because he knew that Auntie would be absolutely furious.” He shook his head again and sighed. “Enough about that. Did you finish reading the fifth-year book?”

 

The two moved on with their lesson. Harry, as promised, joined James and Sirius for some flying that night and he good time. It made up for the uncomfortable moments, as it did so often.

 

Things had been a bit rocky at first, when Sirius was aware enough to actually recognize that there was another person hanging around Potter Manor. After demanding to know who he was, Sirius had watched him carefully for over a week. Harry knew the other boy was examining is interactions with each member of the Potter family, probably a little weary that Harry’s presence would interrupt the dynamic he knew within the family. But, eventually, he seemed to accept Harry. He and James had begun to include Harry in many of their day to day activities. Harry enjoyed that. He liked getting to know this Sirius. However, the more he learned about their school pranks, the more he thought of his own early school days in the muggle world.

 

He couldn’t help but empathize with those the pranks had be played on.

 

Well, not all of them.

 

There were some pranks they told him about that were funny. Those were the ones that reminded him of the Weasley twins. Those he could say he enjoyed.

 

Harry kept to himself most of the week, focusing on his studies. He wanted to be sure and show his family that the help they had given him the last few weeks hadn’t in been in vain.

 

“So, Harry, do you feel prepared for today?” Fleamont questioned from his place at the head of the table. Harry slowly nodded his head but he kept his eyes focused on his plate. He thought he would do okay but he was still nervous that he would somehow mess everything up and fail. Then he wouldn’t be able to attend Hogwarts at all.

 

And they would all be very disappointed in him.

 

Which might actually be worse.

 

“We should leave soon,” Charlus said brightly, finishing off the juice he had been drinking and smiling in his ‘sons’ direction. “Wouldn’t want to piss anyone off by being late!”

 

“Charlus!” Dorea snapped.

 

“What? He’s fifteen, not five.”

 

“It’s still not appropriate!”

 

“He’s fine.”

 

Dorea huffed. “I think Harry’s probably heard much worse,” Caelum told his mom consolingly.

 

“That is not helpful!”

 

Sirius let out a bark of laughter and Dorea’s attention instantly shifted toward her second cousin. “You are certainly not one to comment. I’ve heard the things that come out of your mouth.”

 

Sirius winked and shrugged his shoulders. “Cousin, you don’t know half of what comes out of-“

 

“Okay!” James cut his best friend off, shaking his head in amusement as Sirius began to laugh a bit maniacally. Dorea was glaring at the younger Black, her hand tight around the fork in her hand. Caelum, who had risen his hand to cover the smile on his face, shifted his chair closer toward his wife and further away from his mother.

 

Harry didn’t blame him.

 

“We should go before the next Black war starts in our dining room,” Charlus mock whispered across the table toward Harry. Harry blinked, wanting to ask about the fact Charlus had said the next Black war, but the questioned was pushed aside by his nerves returning as he actually registered the rest of that sentence.

 

Harry nodded and pushed himself away from the table. “Good luck!” Euphemia said brightly, standing as well and pulling him into a hug. “We’ll see you when you return.”

 

The rest of the family gave him their wishes as well and, soon enough, Harry found himself standing in the middle of the Ministry of Magic. “Fourth floor,” Charlus said to Harry, leading him toward the elevators. As they walked past the portraits in the lobby, many of them smiled at Harry or waved. A few scowled. Linfred smiled at them and wished Harry luck as they walked past.

 

The Ministry officials were waiting for them impatiently when they walked into the room. Harry was instantly separated from Charlus and placed in a room with one woman that obviously did not agree with the fact that Harry was getting ‘special attention’. Harry just kept his mouth shut, something he probably should have done the past year when he was in his own time, and began his exam.

 

The woman was reminding him of a certain pink toad.

 

The faster he finished the exam, the faster he could get away from her.

 

The day went both too fast and too slow and by the end of it, Harry’s head was pounding. He stumbled out of the testing room and saw his…father…sitting not too far away. “Finished?” Charlus asked sleepily. Harry didn’t blame him – he had been sitting in that chair for hours. Harry nodded and Charlus stood, yawning widely. “Alright, did they say when you’d get your results?”

 

“It’ll go out a week before the school year,” Harry answered, “Same as the rest of the class.”

 

“Good,” Charlus responded, clapping his hand down on Harry’s shoulder and steering him toward the door. “You have the rest of the summer to take a break. No more lessons! Excited?”

 

Harry cracked a smile. “Yeah, I guess.” Inside, however, he was wondering just what the rest of the summer was going to bring. Now that he didn’t have lessons as an excuse, what would James and Sirius be planning?

 

It turns out that they were planning many, many things. Some of them were things Harry enjoyed, such as quidditch, venturing into Diagon Alley, and their time ‘experimenting’ in the kitchen. James and Sirius had absolutely no idea how to cook and Harry wasn’t used to cooking with magic. It had been a disaster that ended with inedible food and very irritated house-elves. On the bright side, Charlus had found it hilarious. Fleamont had even joined in on the laughter until his wife walked into the room.

 

Dorea had not been amused.

 

Caelum was very good at calming his mother down. Harry would forever be thankful to his ‘brother’.

 

While there had certainly been good days, there had been just as many that Harry would have rather forgotten about. Harry would admit that he wasn’t used to…going all the time. Not if he didn’t have to. He liked having time to be alone. He was even beginning to enjoy studying wizarding history – especially the areas of light, gray, and dark magic. He had never heard of the differences between them other than light was good and dark was bad. He was beginning to see that it was much more complicated than that and he found himself drawn to the information. He would have happily sat in the library and devoured each and every book the Potter family had on the subject…but James and Sirius both seemed offended by him not wanting to be with them throughout all of their ‘adventures’. They spent a lot of time planning their future pranks. As James told him multiple times, it was their “last year!” and they wanted it to be spectacular. That would have been fine if each prank seemed to revolve around other students.

 

And not in a funny way.

 

Many of them actually focused on Severus Snape and Regulus Black.

 

Harry was beginning to understand why his former potions professor hated him so much.

 

Harry snuck away on occasion to spend time with Caelum, Eileene, and Archie. The last couple of months had left Harry feeling as if Caelum truly was his older brother. Eileene was extremely sweet and helped Harry in any way she could. Harry was surprised to find out that Eileene had actually been a Hufflepuff when she attended Hogwarts and she and Caelum, who had been in Gryffindor, had actually not even known each other until they were partnered together for a project in History of Magic during their seventh year. Eileene explained that Archie was actually named after her grandfather, Archibold. The young boy, who would have been a couple of years older than Harry in his original timeline, was very brave for such a small boy. Eileene and Caelum had to keep a close eye on the toddler as he had recently learned that he could escape from his parents and find mischief within the manor.

 

Overall, his days were spent in relative comfort and ease. There were times when Harry felt guilty about not telling James and Sirius the truth. Everyone else in the family knew and had been a few close calls, when Harry made a comment about something that hadn’t happened, something that wasn’t invented, or just someone that no one else knew, and James would get this…look on his face. The rest of the family was always quick to jump in with an explanation but the incidents always left Harry with guilt pooled in his stomach.

 

It was a couple of weeks before Harry was to start at Hogwarts when the three boys received their school letters. And, in Harry’s, was also his OWL results. He breakfast table grew silent as Harry opened the envelope with shaking hands.

 

Astronomy: E
Care of Magical Creatures: E
Charms: O
Defense Against the Dark Arts: O
Divination: A
Herbology: O
History of Magic: O
Potions: O
Transfiguration: O

 

Harry let out a breath he had not even been aware he was holding in. “And?” Caelum asked as Harry’s eyes flickered up toward his family. Wordlessly, Harry held out the parchment. Caelum grabbed it from his hands and eagerly read the results out. Harry stared at his plate as he did so, unsure of if he should be happy about the results or disappointed. He had done better than he thought he would do but…well, he was afraid it wasn’t enough. He had not failed any subjects so that was good. But he got the A in Divination. His family had said they didn’t care for the subject, so that might be okay. But the E’s in Astronomy and Care of Magical Creatures…

 

“You did great, Harry!” Caelum said, looking at the parchment in satisfaction.

 

“Very well done,” Dorea said, a small smile on her face. “Do not worry about the Divination score. Unless you have a talent for the subject, it is useless.”

 

Euphemia had stood from her chair and leaned down to pull Harry into a hug. “You did so well! Didn’t he, dear?”

 

“He did. Congratulations, Harry,” Fleamont called from down the table.

 

“This deserves a celebration!” Charlus hooted. “What shall we do? How about a party? Let Harry meet some of the kids he’s going to school with!”

 

Harry hid a grimace but Caelum laughed loudly. “Harry’s not really the party type, dad. I think he’d rather us get him an owl or something.”

 

Harry’s eyes lit up but dimmed just as quickly as his mind instantly went to Hedwig. She was his first friend and he, honestly, thought he might miss her more than anyone else. She had always been there, through the Dursley’s, through all of his adventures…he hoped she was okay. That someone had taken her in.

 

“Well, we’ll see what we can do,” Dorea said, that small smile still on her face. “His birthday was just a couple of weeks ago, after all.” There was chuckles around the table as everyone remembered Harry’s birthday. They had all given him gifts, Euphemia and Fleamont had given him the full set of Wizarding History by Actumus Prewitt, a forty-set series that was actually banned in Britain for its “unsavory” content. Euphemia explained that it was truly because the author had refused to write in a way that painted the light side as being pure and angelic. Instead, the author had taken great pains to write every side of the conflicts and the works had instantly been added to the Ministry’s banned book list. However, there were those that were still capable of getting the series…such as the Potter family.

 

The books had been charmed so no one would be able to see the true contents besides members of the Potter family.

 

Charlus and Dorea had got him the best racing broom on the market. It was much, much slower than what Harry was used to but he had quickly grown accustomed to it. Sirius had given him a box of prank items. James had given him a broom kit, quidditch gloves, and a golden snitch. Caelum and Eileene had gifted him a photo book of the Potter family and quidditch tickets to a match the weekend before they left for Hogwarts.

 

It had been a great birthday- probably the best Harry had ever had. They had all, even Euphemia, Dorea, and Eileene, gone out to play a game of quidditch, then had a great dinner that consisted of all of Harry’s favorites, and finally, a cake.

 

Which had ended up all over the dining room during a food fight.

 

Courtesy of James.

 

Still, it had been fun.

 

They were all still chucking when Harry realized he didn’t hear the other boy’s loud laughter. With a frown, Harry glanced over toward his ‘cousin’. James was staring down at his letter, shock plastered across his face. “James?”

 

His voice seemed to snap James out of his trance. The older boy glanced up and opened his mouth. No words escaped. By now, the rest of the family and Sirius were also staring at the Potter heir. “Prongs? What? You get expelled or something?” Sirius laughed, reaching over and snatching the letter from James hands. As he did, something fell to the floor. Sirius frowned and glanced down. Harry watched as his own eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open. “You have got to be kidding!” Sirius finally sputtered, letting out a bark of laughter. He leaned down and picked up the item. “Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Hogwarts new Headboy!”

 

Sirius tossed the badge onto the table and every single person stared at the gold badge. “I- he… what?” James sputtered, shaking his head. “Me? Why?”

 

“I think we’re all asking that same question,” Caelum muttered, his eyes still on the badge.

 

“Caelum!” Dorea snapped but Harry saw her lips twitch. “Congratulations, James.”

 

“Dumbledore’s off his rocker,” James said, shaking his head yet again.

 

“Oh, I’m so proud of you!” Euphemia glowed, hugging her son the same way she had done a few moments before with Harry. “Now we have two things to celebrate!”

 

“We shouldn’t be celebrating! We should be mourning!” Sirius said dramatically, slamming his head down on the table. “Betrayal!”

 

“Shut up, Padfoot,” James laughed, grabbing the badge and holding it tightly in his hand. “I wonder…do you think Evan’s is Headgirl?” he asked hopefully. The question resulted in multiple pairs of rolled eyes and sighs but James didn’t let it faze him. No, instead his eyes took on this sort of dazed expression as a cheesy grin overtook his face.

 

Harry had to fight back a laugh. If this was how James got around his mother, he was beginning to understand why everyone said he was obsessed.

 

“Well, when should we go shopping? We need to get supplies and both of you need new robes,” Euphemia said, glancing at her son and…nephew. “Sirius, we would be happy to help you as well.”

 

“It’s okay,” Sirius said, shaking his head. “Uncle put some money in my personal vault. I’ll be fine for school this year.”

 

“If you do not, let me know. I would be happy to help,” Dorea told her younger cousin. Sirius gave her a small, almost shy smile.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“We’ll send a letter to Remus,” James said, that dazed look still in his eye. “And Pete. See when they can meet us. It’ll give them a chance to meet Harry as well.”

 

Harry’s hand clenched around his fork. Pete. As in Peter Pettigrew. Harry glanced up at his family, seeing all of them wearing conflicted expression – an expression that Harry probably had on his own face, at the moment. Hesitantly, Euphemia smiled, “That sounds nice, dear.”

 

Harry’s jaw clenched and he quickly focused on finishing his breakfast. He did not want to think of Peter Pettigrew. As far as he knew, the man (boy) could be the friend that Sirius and Remus had described to him. The boy that had followed them and pulled off pranks with them. Before he joined Voldemort. Before he betrayed Harry’s parents to the man and got his friend killed. But, even if he wasn’t that person yet, could Harry really force himself to be around him? This might be a different timeline but…well, was that something that could be changed?

 

What if he was already a Death Eater?

 

Harry excused himself quickly after that and spent the rest of the day in his room, reading his book. He forced a smile on his face at dinner when James said that he had heard back from Remus and they were all good to go shopping the next day and that Remus and Peter would be staying at Potter Manor until school started. Caelum joined him that night, apologizing that he and his family would not be joining them the next day. Harry understood, knowing the feeling of wanting to keep the people you loved safe.

 

Harry shifted uncomfortably the next day in front of Flourish and Blotts as they waited for Remus and Peter. The two arrived together right at ten that morning and James was quick to do an introduction. “Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, this is my cousin Harry. Harry is going to be joining us at Hogwarts this year. He’ll be in his sixth year and I’m sure we’ll be seeing him in the common room,” James said with a proud grin, clapping his hand down on Harrys shoulder.

 

Surprise flashed across Remus’s scared face but he was quick to hold out his hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said with a kind smile. A smile Harry knew all too well. It was good to know that Remus hadn’t changed that much. He certainly seemed happier now than he had in Harry’s time…of course, he hadn’t been through as much. Not yet.

 

Hopefully, not ever.

 

“You too,” Harry said, shaking the offered hand. He quickly took a step back, afraid that Peter would follow Remus’s example.

 

He shouldn’t have worried.

 

“I didn’t know you had another cousin,” Peter said, his voice whiny and high pitched. Harry forced back a smile at the sound.

 

“Well, I do,” James said, his eyes narrowing just slightly despite the smile he was still wearing. “Uncle Charlus’s son. Caelum’s brother.”

 

“Oh,” Peter said but he was wearing a frown as he looked Harry over.

 

“Let’s get inside,” Euphemia said quickly, waving her hands to usher the boys into the store. “Much to buy! We should get started so we can get home quickly,” she glanced down the strangely empty alley. Harry had never seen it like this. Any time he was here, it was bustling with energy and crowded with people. But now…now he could see people hurrying into stores, shoulders hunched and eyes flickering one way then the other. No one was speaking to anyone outside of their own tight groups.

 

This was a group of people who were scared.

 

This was the wizarding world with Voldemort at large.

 

The boys were all quick to grab their books. They then went to get their other supplies and school robes. “Can we go to quidditch-“

 

“Quickly,” Euphemia answered her son with a wane smile.

 

Dorea and Charlus exchanged a look. “We have an appointment. Harry, would you like to join us?” Dorea asked. Harry glanced over toward the four boys who were all laughing and joking, despite the somber mood surrounding them. As soon as his eyes landed on Peter, Harry nodded.

 

“Yeah, I’ll come.”

 

The three said their goodbyes and Harry was surprised to be led into a side alley he had never walked down before, then into a small sandwich shop. “It’s time for lunch,” Charlus said, seeing Harry’s surprise. Harry followed them slowly, unsure of why they had separated from the rest of the group just to go to lunch, until Dorea slid into a booth beside another figure. Harry froze as he laid eyes on the person. About the same age as him, pale skin, dark hair, and gray eyes that Harry would recognize anywhere.

 

Regulus Black.

Chapter 8

Notes:

You guys are seriously blowing me away with kudos and comments. Thank you all so much. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Edited 01/14/21

Harry knew he was staring but he couldn’t help himself. When he pictured Regulus Black in his mind, he always pictured another Sirius that carried himself with the pureblood dignity he had seen other Slytherin’s possess in school – a Lucius Malfoy with Sirius’s coloring, basically. But now, Harry was reminded that, in this time, Regulus Black was his age. In the original timeline, he had died in just a couple of years.

 

He had never made it to adulthood to become that person Harry saw in his mind.

 

And, while he did look similar to Sirius, there was something different about Regulus Black.

 

His dark hair fell in the same waves toward his chin as his brothers but it was tamer than Harry had ever seen on the older Black. They had the same pale skin but on Regulus it looked more refined, somehow. Regulus’s cheekbones were sharper than Sirius’s and there was overall something much more delicate about him then his older brother. The boy reached for the tea cup on the table and Harry found himself distracted by an elegant wrist that was connected to a hand with extremely long fingers. The hand lifted the tea cup and brought it up to a pair of pink lips…

 

And that was when Harry realized that while he had been studying Regulus Black, the boy had been studying him.

 

Gray eyes peered at Harry over the tea cup and Harry flushed as he met the dark gaze. Regulus’s eyebrow quirked up and the placed the cup back on the table.

 

Embarrassment rushed through Harry’s veins and he wondered if it was possible for him to find a way around this meeting. He hadn’t realized that Dorea and Charlus were going to be meeting the youngest Black and he was unsure if he was welcome…especially after he had been blatantly caught sizing the Slytherin up. Before Harry could figure out how to escape the awkward situation, Charlus clapped a hand down on Harry’s shoulder and barked out a laugh. “Come on, now,” he said, just loud enough for everyone in the café to hear the comment, “no reason to be embarrassed about finding appreciation in a good-looking guy!”

 

If he had been red before, Harry was sure it was nothing compared to how he looked now. He avoided looking toward Regulus Black as Charlus led him toward the table. He did look at Dorea, hoping that the woman would keep her husband in line, but he was dismayed to see her hiding a smile behind a pale hand. Still, she sent a slow wink Harry’s way when she saw him looking at her.

 

Sometimes, he really wondered just how sane his family was.

 

“Regulus, this is Harry. Harry is Charlus’s son from a previous…dalliance. He joined us this summer after his mother’s passing,” Dorea said, her voice curt. Harry clenched his jaw. He hated that his family had to lie, especially about something like that, because of him. The anger pushed his embarrassment aside enough that he was able to look at Regulus defiantly, daring him to say something regarding the situation.

 

However, there was a brief flicker of surprise in Regulus’s eyes before his disappeared behind a cool mask. “I see,” he said quietly as his eyes met Harry’s once more. “I am sorry for your loss.”

 

Harry blinked. Oh. Right. “Uh, yeah. Thanks,” he muttered as he looked away once more. He had expected the younger Black to comment about Charlus having an affair, or maybe about Harry’s obvious lack of pure-blood manners. Honestly, Harry had expected him to be another Malfoy. But the soft voice was soothing and deep, lacking the whiney/haughty quality that Malfoy’s had always held. Even Sirius and James had a kind of self-assurance in their voice that showed that they knew exactly who they were and what type of power and influence their names held.

 

Why was Harry unable to detect that in Regulus Black?

 

Was he just better at hiding it?

 

“I am disappointed I did not hear anything from you, Regulus,” Dorea said as tea and a tray of different sandwiches were placed in front of them. “Especially after Sirius arrived at Potter Manor.”

 

Regulus’s shoulders tensed as Dorea reprimanded him and he bowed his head slightly toward the older woman. “I am sorry, Aunt Dorea. Things have been quite difficult this summer and I did not want to burden you. I am pleased to know that Sirius was able to receive care at Potter Manor. Please give my appreciation to Lord and Lady Potter.” His gray eyes slid over toward Charlus and he bowed his head yet again. “And to you, Uncle Charlus.”

 

Charlus chuckled and shook his head. “No need for that! Though we would like to know what happened.”

 

Regulus’s blank mask faltered just slightly as a wince made its way across his face. He glanced away from the group momentarily before leaning back just slightly in his chair and letting out a tired sigh. Harry was surprised that the other boy had relaxed so easily in a public place and, by the looks Dorea and Charlus exchanged, they were as well. Which meant it probably wasn’t something the boy did often and they were worried about what it meant. “Mother and Sirius began arguing the moment we arrived home,” Regulus said quietly, his eyes still not looking directly at anyone sitting at the table. “Mother and Father received many letters about Sirius’s behavior at Hogwarts and Mother said Sirius needed to remember his place. I do not know all that happened. I tried to stay out of the situation as much as possible and whenever I tried to speak with my brother, he-“ Regulus broke off and cleared his throat. “Well, you know how Sirius feels about me. I did try to do what I could. I tried to speak with Mother and Father. Mother merely said if I did not remember my place, she would be happy to remind me,” Regulus winced yet again and Harry noticed how the other boy, unconsciously, began to rub his shoulder. “Father, as usual, said that Mother was in charge of punishments and it was best to not get involved. I had Kreacher place healing potions in Sirius’s food. The day before Sirius left, he pushed mother too far. She, in return, took the punishment too far.” Regulus’s eyes flickered up to Dorea. “Father had to step in before she killed him, Aunt Dorea. I was barely able to get to him in time.”

 

Dorea’s eyes were hard and her lips pursed as the story was concluded. She reached out and placed a gentle hand on Regulus’s arm. “It sounds as if you saved your brother, Regulus. I am sure he is thankful.”

 

Harry doubted that. Sirius had made it clear to Harry just how much he disliked his entire family. Including his younger brother. But…he hadn’t said anything about Regulus’s attempts to help him that summer.

 

Harry wondered if he even knew. After seeing him that night, Harry wouldn’t be surprised if Sirius didn’t remember his brother helped him at all.

 

Regulus snorted and Dorea’s eyebrows shot up. “We both know that is not true, Auntie,” he said, shaking his head as his lips curled up into a mocking smile.

 

“Sirius cares about you, Regulus,” Dorea claimed, looking at him disapprovingly. “When the two of you were young-“

 

“Do not bring up the past,” Regulus sighed, reaching forward to pick up his cup once more. “Sirius has made it clear that he wants nothing to do with me or the rest of the family since his first year at Hogwarts. I am thankful that he is unhurt and safe with the Potter’s but I know better than to believe we will ever have that sort of closeness once more.”

 

Dorea’s lips pursed once more and Regulus turned his attention toward Harry. “I fear I am not making a very good impression. I apologize for bringing up such topics on our first meeting.”

 

“No! It’s…uh, fine. Yeah, fine.”

 

Regulus inclined his head and his lips twitched as Harry stumbled over his words. Harry clamped his mouth shut and just knew he was blushing yet again. What was it about Regulus Black that made him feel like an uneducated moron? “Still, I apologize and would appreciate your secrecy on these matters.”

 

Oh. Right. Of course he wouldn’t want people to know about any of this. Now that Harry thought about it, it was a bit strange that he had given so much information about his family to a complete stranger. But…Harry glanced at Dorea and Charlus. Maybe it was because he was considered family.

 

He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

 

“Of course,” Harry said finally when he realized that Regulus was waiting for a response.

 

Regulus inclined his head once more and took a deep breath before sitting up fully, once more the perfect pureblood. “Forgive me, I should have inquired on your own health. Are you well?” Regulus questioned Dorea, finally reaching out to take one of the sandwiches.

 

“Very,” Dorea returned. “Caelum and Eileene are well. Archie misses you. Perhaps we could all meet for dinner one night before you return to Hogwarts? Harry will be joining you as well. The two of you are the same age.”

 

Regulus turned toward Harry once more. “Are we? Where did you attend school previously?”

 

Harry swallowed hard. “I didn’t. I had tutors.”

 

“Interesting,” Regulus murmured and Harry felt as if he was once again being picked apart and analyzed. “Well, I am sure Hogwarts will be a very intriguing experience for you. I assume you are hoping to be placed in Gryffindor? You are a Potter, after all.”

 

Harry shrugged and avoided the glare Dorea sent him at the motions. She had been trying all summer to break him of the habit. “Maybe. I guess we’ll see.”

 

The answer seemed to surprise Regulus but he didn’t comment. What Harry said was truthful – he assumed he would be in Gryffindor again, it wasn’t like he had changed a lot since the last time he was sorted. And he had proved himself by pulling the sword from the sorting hat in his second year, right? But he wouldn’t really care if he got placed in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Not that he was smart enough to be in Ravenclaw…

 

Plus, there was the fact that the Potter’s were known for being in Gryffindor. He was sure everything would work out.

 

But he didn’t want Regulus to think that he despised those in other houses – even Slytherin. Especially if some of the Slytherin’s were like Regulus. He wasn’t what Harry expected and Harry was finding himself drawn toward the other boy. He wanted to know more about Regulus Black. Maybe there were others in Slytherin that Harry would get along with as well… honestly, the only people that he knew in the house were those that went out of their way to bother Harry. Like Malfoy and his flunkies. Parkinson. But there were other Slytherin’s in his year…there had been that quiet boy with the brown hair and the dark skinned one that always rolled his eyes when Malfoy spoke. Then there were the two girls that always spoke to each other and no one else, the blond and the one with dark hair.

 

Harry didn’t even know their names.

 

And wow, didn’t that make him feel like a complete wanker.

 

“Regulus, how are things for you with your Mother and Father?” Dorea questioned softly. Whatever humor and calmness on Regulus’s face was instantly wiped off as his mask was firmly placed.

 

“Everything is satisfactory.”

 

Well, even Harry didn’t believe that.

 

“You are welcome to visit if you need time to-“

 

“You want me to go to Potter Manor?” Regulus snorted, his voice rising for the first time since the group had arrived. He instantly seemed to be mortified, dropping his head. “Sorry. Thank you for the offer but I must decline. As you said, I will be returning to Hogwarts shortly.”

 

Dorea clearly did not like the response but she nodded in acknowledgment. “The offer will remain open. Please consider it.”

 

Regulus agreed but it was obvious that, to him at least, the subject was closed. “Well then, it was nice to see you but I must return home before Mother worries,” the words were said sardonically but Harry knew that the message was clear. Walburga Black probably didn’t even know her youngest son was here – and if she did, she probably didn’t know he was meeting with Potter’s. “Harry, I will see you at Hogwarts. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask.”

 

Surprisingly, Harry believed the words. “Thanks. It was, um, nice to meet you, too.”

 

Regulus’s lips twitched up in amusement as he reached down and squeezed his aunts’ hand. Dorea sighed. “I expect a letter from you within the next few days.”

 

“Yes, Auntie,” Regulus rolled his eyes, earning himself a light stinging hex, and he chuckled as he strode out of the café. Harry stared after him, wondering if there was any way he could save Regulus Black.

Chapter 9

“You boys be good,” Euphemia said as she pulled her son into a tight hug.

 

“Course! Don’t we always?” James questioned with a laugh, hugging his mother tightly before taking a step back. He glanced over his shoulder at the train as Harry’s grandmother turned to pull Sirius to her. “Hell. Last year.”

 

“You almost look sad,” Caelum teased, his arm around Harry’s shoulders as he looked at his younger cousin.

 

“I almost am! It’s terrible!”

 

There were low chuckles at the words but they were quick to taper off. Harry couldn’t stop himself from glancing around the platform every few seconds. First, he thought it was because he thinking how odd it was to be there and not see a single person he knew…but then he realized it was because the atmosphere itself was different. Like the Potter’s, each family was clustered close together, eyeing those around them warily as they safely saw their children onto the train. Harry had never felt something like that before. In his own time, children were running all around, greeting their friends, laughing loudly after an exciting summer. Parents would always be chatting to others, making sure their children didn’t forget anything, or reminding their anxious children to write.

 

Here, no one was talking above low murmurs.

 

“Alright, come on Harry! We need to get on the train,” James said, reaching out a clapping a hand down on Harry’s shoulder. Caelum’s arm fell at the action. “I have to find the Head Girl and have a meeting with the prefects…I think.”

 

Remus sighed. “Yes, James.”

 

James shrugged at his friend. “Hey, it’s not like I’ve don’t it before! You’re the prefect…”

 

Remus rolled his eyes before turning to Fleamont and Euphemia, thanking them for letting him stay the summer. Peter (who Harry now hated more than ever thanks to his irritating voice and constant whining the last few weeks) did the same. “Make sure you write us tonight!” Charlus said. Harry was getting ready to agree, knowing his family would be interested in which house he was sorted into, but he found himself freezing when Charlus pulled him in for a hug. Charlus laughed as he pulled away. “We’ll get there, lad.”

 

“It’s a process,” Euphemia agreed, wrapping Harry in her own hug. As soon as her arms dropped, more were around him. Then again.

 

“Alright! Let him go before he passes out or something!” James said loudly, making several people in the crowd jump and more look at him in disapproval. “Padfoot needs to find us a compartment before all of them are full.”

 

“I’ll protect him,” Sirius declared, throwing his own arm over Harry’s shoulders and then winking when Harry glanced up at him. Harry flushed at the action, making Sirius let out a loud bark of laughter.

 

“Don’t do it, padfoot,” James warned, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.

 

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Prongs.”

 

“Better not,” Dorea warned coldly, her gray eyes meeting Sirius’s. they stared at each other challengingly for a moment, Sirius’s arm tightening around Harry, before a small smile cracked across the woman’s face. “Not that I think there’s anything to worry about. Harry seems to have a more…refined taste. Though I suppose the physical similarities could help.”

 

Sirius’s brows furrowed. “What?”

 

Harry’s cheeks flooded with heat and he let out a deep groan. Charlus laughed loudly, earning their group even more disgruntled gazes. Caelum flashed Harry a wicked grin, one that Harry was alarmed to see mirrored on James and Fleamont’s faces. “Time to go!” He said quickly, grabbing his trunk and moving toward the train. He ignored the laughter and inquiries behind him before turning and waving at the group. They all waved at him, wishing him luck and telling him to write. Then James and his friends joined Harry and the rest of the Potter family was hidden from view.

 

“We got to go,” James said, glancing down at his wristwatch and grimacing. “Already late. Hell.”

 

“Such a great start for the Head Prat,” Sirius teased, laughing as James scowled and sent a punch at his shoulder. “Wormtail and I will find a compartment.”

 

“Harry too,” James said quickly, pointedly glaring at his best friend.

Sirius raised his hands. “Harry too. I thought that was kind of a given.”

 

How nice, Harry thought sarcastically. It didn’t stop him from following Sirius and Pettigrew down the train and finally to an empty compartment. The three slipped inside and put their trunks away, Harry instantly taking a seat by the window. Sirius was teasing Pettigrew about not being tall enough to put his own trunk away…and not remembering that they could use magic to do so. “Really, Wormtail! You’ve been seventeen for almost a year! How stupid are you?”

 

The smaller boy flushed and shrugged his shoulders. “Sorry! I just…didn’t think about it.”

 

Sirius let out another bark of laughter and sank down to sit opposite of Harry. From the corner of his eye, Harry saw Pettigrew hesitate, glancing from Harry to Sirius and back again, then he took the seat beside Sirius.

 

Yeah, good choice.

 

“So, looking forward to Hogwarts?” Sirius questioned a few minutes later. “James is already planning on introducing you to some guys in your year and having you take the seeker position. You’d be better than the idiot we had last year.”

 

“Anyone would be,” Pettigrew squeaked.

 

“You don’t even know I’ll be sorted into Gryffindor,” Harry responded.

 

Sirius merely rolled his eyes. “You’re a Potter.”

 

And you’re a Black, Harry thought to himself, though he was smart enough to keep the words to himself. He doubted his godfather, or ex-godfather, would really appreciate it. Harry fell silent after that, watching as Sirius began to tell Pettigrew about all the pranks they had planned for the upcoming year and how James was planning on finally winning Evans over. Harry hid a small smile at the last bit, knowing that his father did end up with his mother sometime during the year. At least, that’s what Sirius had told him. He had wondered, at the time, how the two could have gotten together after the memory he saw in Snape’s pensive. Now, he would get to see it first-hand.

 

He was actually kind of excited about it.

 

It was a bit over an hour later when James and Remus showed up. Remus, Harry was amused to see, looked as if he had been hit by the train instead of riding in it. James was sporting the biggest, cheesiest grin Harry had seen from him. Sirius glanced at his friends and groaned loudly, throwing his head back against the seat of the train. “Evans is Headgirl, isn’t she?”

 

“You bet she is!” James cheered, pumping his fist into in the air. “I’m going to work with her, one on one, the entire year! We’re going to share a dorm, just the two of us! She’ll have to-“

 

“She doesn’t have to do anything,” Remus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose and sinking down beside Pettigrew.

 

“But now she’ll at least-“

 

“James. She does not have to do anything,” Remus reiterated, fixing Harry’s father with a steely gaze. A gaze Harry had never really seen the older Remus give to anyone.

 

Harry was a little impressed.

 

The smile on James face didn’t fall but he did nod his head, showing that he understood what Remus was saying to him. He threw himself down onto the bench beside Harry, turning that creepy wide grin onto the younger Potter. “She’s amazing.”

 

“So I’ve heard.”

 

“She’s beautiful, smart, amazing…she has the best smile…”

 

“Wow,” Harry muttered, his voice hidden under Sirius’s groan.

 

“Enough about Evans!” the Black heir snapped, “Let’s get planning for our back to school prank. Which do you think…”

 

Harry tuned out, turning his attention to the window. Everything was so different. It was the same train, the same landscape…Hell, Harry even though he had sat in this compartment with his friends last year. But everything was just so odd. He knew Dumbledore was going to be the Headmaster. McGonagall  was head of Gryffindor. Snape would be there but he was a student, not a teacher. Madame Pomphrey was there, he thought he remembered Remus mentioning her. Or maybe she mentioned his dad at some point. Beyond that…beyond that, Harry really didn’t know. He didn’t know who was teaching there. Who taught Potions? Herbology? Hadn’t Flitwick said something about his mum? He could be there…

 

Hagrid. He would see Hagrid.

 

He wasn’t teaching but he was at the school.

 

But all the students would be different. He wouldn’t have Hermione sitting beside him, answering every question. No Ron to joke with. No Neville, Luna, Ginny, Seamus, Dean… hell, he might even welcome the sight of Malfoy at this point.

 

Maybe. Okay, maybe not Malfoy.

 

“We’re going to be there soon, Harry,” James said suddenly, breaking Harry out of his thoughts. Harry blinked, turning his eyes toward the other boy. He was surprised to see that all the others had already changed and the window was no longer shining with light. Even though he had been staring out the window, he hadn’t even noticed it growing dark. “You should probably get changed.”

 

Harry stood without a word and got changed, ignoring the looks the other boys were giving each other. “You alright?” James asked quietly when the train came to a stop a few minutes later and the other boys began to gather their things. “Nervous?”

“A bit,” Harry admitted.

 

James nudged him. “It’ll be fine. You’ll get sorted, sit with us at dinner and I’ll introduce you to some of the others in our house. You’ll love it here.”

 

Harry slowly nodded. “Yeah, I will.” He already did. He always had. Hogwarts was home. He was beginning to think of Potter Manor as home. As Charlus, Dorea, Caelum, Euphemia, Fleamont, Eileene, and little Archie as home. But Hogwarts was special.

 

It was something he could hold onto through all of this.

 

“You riding with us?” Sirius asked as the boys stepped off the train and began to walk toward the carriages.

 

Harry shook his head. “Dumbledore wants me with the first years.” It was the one thing he had been unhappy about. That he was going to have to ride the boats and be sorted in front of the entire school. He would have rather it been private. It was weird enough that he was coming in as a new student in his sixth year. He really didn’t want even more attention drawn to him.

 

“We will see you there,” Remus said softly, giving Harry a small smile as he moved forward. Harry returned the smile, then turned his head when he heard a familiar voice calling for the first years.

 

“Guess that’s me,” he grimaced, earning laughter and gentle teasing. He hurried toward the group of nervous children, most of them staring up at Hagrid with awe. Hagrid, seeing Harry approach, smiled broadly.

“Harry Potter?”

 

“Yes, sir.”

 

“Glad ta’ have ya,” he said. He then led the group toward the boats, Harry sitting behind two small children that both eyed him warily. He ignored the two of them, settling in for the ride across the lake. He had to duck down at one point, making him wonder how Hagrid was able to do this every year. The kids gasped when they finally laid eyes on Hogwarts. Harry managed to keep his own awe in this time but the appreciation for the castle was still there.

 

He was home.

 

Hagrid led them from the boat and to the entrance hall where they met Professor McGonagall . Harry’s lips twitched when the older witch, who was considerably younger than Harry remembered her, gave the exact same speech she had given in his own time. “Mr. Potter,” she said a moment later, “please wait here. Once the first years have been sorted, one of the other professors will retrieve you.”

 

Harry blinked at the new information and wasn’t able to respond before the doors opened and she led the other children into the Great Hall. Harry frowned, his mouth dry. So, not only was he going to be sorted in front of the school, he was also going to be led in on his own.

 

Fantastic.

 

“Mr. Potter? You may come in now.” Harry blinked down at the small, familiar professor. So he was there.

 

Flitwick walked down the middle of the Great Hall. Harry followed along behind him, trying to ignore the eyes that stared at him in curiosity. He did glance over toward the Gryffindor table when loud cheering erupted. Of course it was James and his friends. James gave him a thumbs up. Harry rolled his eyes and pointedly turned to face forward once more. “Harry Potter,” McGonagall  said, gesturing toward the stool in front of the head table. “Please take a seat. The sorting hat will be placed on your head.”

 

Harry did as instructed and the hat slid down, still too big even after four years. Oh, now this IS interesting. I admit that it was exciting when Albus told me we would have a new student starting in his sixth year, it isn’t often I get to sort someone that has had more years to develop, but your situation is particularly fascinating. Time travel is always so stimulating!

 

Please don’t-

 

Tell anyone? Of course I won’t! Now, let’s set about fixing the mistake I made before. Or will make, I suppose.

 

Wait, what are you

 

“Slytherin!”

 

The hat was pulled off his head and Harry sat, completely frozen, in front of every student at Hogwarts. Slytherin. The bloody hat had placed him in Slytherin.

 

“Mr. Potter,” Flitwick said kindly, pulling Harry’s attention toward him. “Please take a seat at the Slytherin table,” he gestured toward the far table.

 

With almost jerky movements, Harry stood and walked toward the silent table. His eyes moved across the seats briefly, wondering where it was he should sit, when they all suddenly shifted. He blinked in surprise when every person on the right stood and slipped down a seat, leaving a seat open in the middle of the table. Slowly, Harry moved toward it and slowly sat, hunching his shoulders just slightly in an attempt to get away from the staring.

 

“Don’t slouch. I’m sure my aunt has told you that it’s unbecoming.”

 

Harry’s shoulders jerked back instantly and his eyes flew up to the person on his right. Regulus stared back at him, his lips curled up into a faint smile. “I did say I would see you at Hogwarts,” he mused, his head tilting to the side. “Though I admit, I did not expect us to be sharing a room.”

 

“Neither did I,” Harry admitted. He really hadn’t. He had thought, with everything he had been through, that he would have been in Gryffindor. Hadn’t he pulled Gryffindor’s sword from the sorting hat? And yet… yet the hat placed him in Slytherin.

 

With Regulus Black.

 

Well, at least that wasn’t bad.

 

Speaking of Black…

 

Harry glanced up and met a pair of furious hazel eyes. Harry instantly averted his own gaze and tightened his hands into fists. He wasn’t sure at this moment who looked more enraged - Sirius or his father.

Chapter 10

Notes:

Bit of a boring chapter here - Harry is trying to come to terms with his sorting.

On another note, anyone playing Wizards Unite? I'm having fun with it. :)

Harry felt almost numb as he followed Regulus to the Slytherin common room. Throughout the entire feast, he stole glances across the Great Hall toward the Marauders. After the initial meeting of eyes, the four boys had bent their heads together and begun to speak hurriedly toward each other, James making big gestures with his hands, Sirius shaking his head on multiple occasions, and Remus pinching the bridge of his nose. It was clear they were debating something, probably him, and Harry has no idea what the outcome of that debate was.

 

He had a strange feeling that it wasn’t exactly good, considering not one of them looked his way again. Not even after the feast was finished.

 

Harry couldn’t say he was exactly surprised. He had almost been placed in Slytherin in his own time and he couldn’t exactly say the…traits of that house were no longer existent. But he was also a Gryffindor. Maybe the hat just wanted him to get a bit of both houses? Like it was trying to make sure he cultivated both sides of himself?

 

Yeah, he didn’t really believe it either.

 

“Alright?” Regulus asked quietly as he led Harry to stand against the far wall of the common room. His gray eyes flickered around the room as he spoke.

 

“Fine,” Harry replied quickly. He decided to take a page out of Regulus’s book and study the events of the common room. It was…completely different than the first night back in Gryffindor. In Gryffindor, there was always loud talking, joking, games… but here, everyone was in groups. Well, groups and then subgroups. It looked like everyone was standing with others in their year, then maybe by their friends? Or maybe there was something Harry was missing. The new first years were in the very middle of the common room, all looking around in a type of awe – awe that they were trying to conceal. Apparently, their Slytherin masks weren’t in place yet.

 

The second years were on the left of the new first years, furthest away from the portrait opening. A blond boy was standing in the middle of that group, a smirk on his face as the others seemed to lean toward him. The third years were beside them, a girl with cool eyes and dark hair standing center. Another girl was standing right behind her left shoulder, a boy behind her right. The rest of the third years were close enough that Harry could tell they were year mates, but they were standing behind the three. The fourth years had two distinct groups. A girl and a boy stood in the middle of each, both of the shooting occasional glares at the other. Harry guessed there was some sort of power struggle going on with them. The fifth years were all watching the fourth-year group in amusement, particularly the dark-haired boy that the other fifth years were swarming.

 

And then there were the sixth years. Harry didn’t notice it until that moment, but he and Regulus were standing against the wall with three other boys. There was one boy standing on the other side of Regulus, a boy Harry now noticed was glaring at him, and the other two were just slightly off to the side. Glancing to his other side, Harry noticed two girls watching him from the corner of their eyes. As soon as Harry looked in their direction, the two turned to face forward.

 

Harry shoved the observation into the back of his head as the portrait hole opened and a middle aged, balding man with a pot belly walked into the room. Harry vaguely remembered seeing the man sitting at the head table during the feast. “Welcome to Slytherin!” the man said, a bright smile on his lined face. “I am Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin House and your potions professor…” Harry tuned out as the man began to speak of Slytherin house having a united front. This man was different than he expected. He was extremely…cheery. In an almost creepy way. He wondered how much the greeting of Slytherin house had changed over the years. He couldn’t imagine Snape talking about the things Slughorn was saying…

 

Snape.

 

Harry’s eyes snapped over to the one section of the room he had yet to study. The seventh years were all staring at Slughorn, their faces carefully expressionless. Severus Snape was standing slightly apart from the rest of the group. He had always thought of Snape as the perfect Slytherin…yet he seemed to be distant from the rest. He thought back to what he had seen in the pensive all those months ago. Did his father and his friends have something to do with that? Had their bullying made Snape look weak to his house?

 

“I’ll show you to the dormitory,” Regulus said, startling Harry out of his thoughts. He blinked, only then realizing that, at some point, Snape had glanced in his direction and was holding his gaze steadily, a sneer clear on his face. Harry fought back a blush at being caught and quickly turned toward Regulus. The boy in question raised an eyebrow when Harry’s attention was on him. “Unless you would like to continuing ogling-“

 

“I wasn’t!” Harry yelped, no longer able to fight the blush when multiple pairs of eyes turned on him. “I mean, I was just…”

 

“And here I thought I was special,” Regulus quipped, his eyes shining as Harry ducked his head to hide his burning face. Of course, he had to bring that up. “Now, if you can pull yourself away from staring at Severus Snape, I will show you where you’ll be sleeping for the next nine months.”

 

Harry sputtered out a response as he followed a lightly chuckling Regulus up a flight of stairs. Harry’s shoulders tensed with the boys that had been standing with them fell in to walk behind him. He wanted to look over his shoulder, to check and make sure all they were doing was following him…but he was sure that wouldn’t be looked at well. So, he lightly let his right hand linger on his wand as he concentrated on what he could hear. If they made any sort of fast motion or if he heard a whispered spell, Harry would be ready.

 

Regulus pushed open one of the last doors down a long hallway. His gray eyes scanned the area quickly before he nodded decisively. “Herbert Burke,” Regulus motioned toward one of the boys with dark hair and eyes, “Evan Rosier,” sandy blond hair, green eyes, “and Damocles Rowle.” The boy that had been glaring at Harry. “Harry, you can have the bed beside my own.”

 

Harry saw Damoncles’s jaw tighten but the other boy didn’t say anything as Regulus led Harry over toward the far wall. He motioned toward the second bed as Regulus bent to open the trunk at the first bed. Harry, who saw a trunk that was decidedly not his at the foot of the bed Regulus had motioned to, turned his head. His belongings were placed at the bed furthest away from Regulus, the one by the door. He took a step back toward the other bed and Regulus stood up sharply. “Rowle,” he said sharply.

 

Damoncles scowled but strode forward, grabbing the trunk and dragging it over toward where Harry’s trunk sat. One of the other boys, Rosier, flicked his wand and Harry’s trunk floated to sit neatly at the end of his new bed. “That is taken care of,” Regulus stated mildly. The black school robe slid off of his shoulders and Harry, for reasons he will never understand, sharply turned on his heel. He immediately cursed himself for the idiotic action. The boy had taken of his robes. He still had the uniform on.

 

Which, judging by the rustling of clothing, he was taking off.

 

Deciding that he needed to distract himself, he quickly bent down to pull his trunk open. He grabbed a quill and parchment, then slid to sit on his bed. He bit his lip. He didn’t think they would mind, well, he knew Dorea wouldn’t. He doubted that Charlus or Caelum would care. But Fleamont and Euphemia? They had both been in Gryffindor. James was in Gryffindor. And they knew the truth, that Harry was actually their grandson. He was sure they had expected him to be in Gryffindor as well.

 

Better that he wrote them now, before they heard it from someone else.

 

Dear Charlus and Dorea,

 

I arrived at Hogwarts! The train ride was long, longer than I remember, and I Dumbledore had me wait until the first years were done being sorted until he brought me into the hall. I was sorted into Slytherin. James and Sirius didn’t really say anything to me. They were probably shocked. At least I have Regulus here.

 

Harry

 

Harry sighed as he reread the letter. It was…awkward but the best he could do at the moment.

 

And that was supposed to be the easy on.

 

Dear Fleamont and Euphemia,

I was sorted into Slytherin. It was a bit of a surprise, since I was expecting Gryffindor, but the hat mentioned I would do well here. You know, before. I guess it changed it’s mind this time. Anyway, I hope everything is well with you.

 

Harry

Chapter 11

After a restless night in which Harry tossed and turned for hours, Harry found himself slouched at the Slytherin table during breakfast, Regulus seated at his side. He picked at his food, not having an appetite, and glanced up toward the ceiling every few seconds. Anytime now, the mail would arrive and, hopefully, a response from his family. A ball of anxiety sat heavily in his chest, making him almost flinch each time he caught a glimpse of a change in the ceiling (he thought it was an owl…) or rustle of clothing (it sounded like wings, okay?!).

 

He wondered if it was possible to lose your mind in such a short amount of time.

 

“Sit up,” Regulus sighed, shifting slightly to dig his elbow into Harry’s side. Harry yelped, jerking away from the other boy and sending him a glare. “Do not look at me like that. You are worried, though there is no reason for you to be, and you are making a scene.”

 

“I’m sitting!”

 

“You’re moping. Stop it.”

 

A loud snort across the table had Harry sitting up straight instantly, which just got a noise of exasperated approval from Regulus. “He’s a Potter,” Severus Snape said, his dark eyes peering into Harry’s as he sneered. “He has no decorum or thought of how he is representing out house.”

 

“He might be a Potter,” Regulus retorted sharply, “but he was not raised as such. Do not place your dislike of his cousin onto Harry.”

 

Severus’s scowl grew but he fell silent. Harry swallowed hard. He glanced toward his right, seeing how each person at the table was sitting with their backs completely straight with their shoulders back. Many were eying him with disapproval. Taking a deep breath, Harry mimicked their posture. He winced at the feeling. He didn’t think he had ever sat like this and his back was already protesting. Considering he was only sixteen, that was a little worrying.

 

Just then, the sound of fluttering wings and loud hoots broke through the sudden silence. Harry’s hand tightened around the fork as a familiar brown owl landed in front of him. Dropping the fork completely, Harry shakily reached out and took the three letters tied to the owl’s leg. He stared down at the letters, oblivious to the fact that another owl had landed in front of Regulus with a letter for him as well. He didn’t see that Regulus gave both owls a treat. He just continued to look at the letters, his hand slightly shaking as he tried to make himself open them.

 

Are you a Gryffindor or not? Something in him scoffed. But then, from another area of his brain, there was a response. Not. Slytherin, remember?

 

“Open the letters, Harry,” Regulus sighed, folding his own letter with a satisfied smirk.

 

Harry shot a glare toward the other boy but hastily opened the first letter.

 

Harry,

Kind of disappointed that you didn’t think to send me a letter. Feeling the love, little brother. Anyway, Slytherin, huh? Congratulations. Based on the very INTERESTING tale I heard from dad, you’re probably pretty excited. Just remember that it isn’t polite to stare, especially when people are changing.

 

Your loving brother,

Caelum

PS: Harry, ignore my idiotic husband. Congratulations on your sorting, I’m sure everything will work out well.  – Eileene

 

 

Harry’s shoulder’s slumped in relief before he remembered himself and pulled them back. He should have sent a letter to Caelum – he wasn’t sure why he didn’t – but at least his brother and his family were standing beside him.

 

Dear Harry,

 

You just lost me ten galleons, kid! Dorea said you would end up in Slytherin, said she recognized a fellow snake or something to that effect, but I argued that you would be in Gryffindor. Considering the trouble you find yourself in, I thought it was a given. You think I would have learned not to bet against my wife over the past twenty years.

     

Thank you for proving me right, dear. Congratulations on your sorting, I am sure Regulus will take care of you. Please remember to be careful and keep in mind the lessons I gave you over the summer (feel free to forget everything you learned from Charlus).

 

You seemed very nervous in your letter. I hope you know that we would never be upset because of your sorting, no matter which house you found yourself in. Knowing my younger cousin, as well as my nephew, I’m going to assume they did not take it well. Give them time. Logic has never been their strong suite but they eventually figure things out. If not, I’ll make things clear to them when you return home at Christmas.

 

We look forward to hearing from you soon. Please be careful.

 

Dorea and Charlus.

 

And then there was one. This was the letter that Harry had been worried about. What if they rejected him? They had no obligation to him, not now. Not after he was blood adopted by Charlus. He couldn’t even really claim them beyond being his uncle and aunt. Not publicly, anyway.

 

Harry steeled himself. He had been in situations worse than this. He had received a lot of hate mail the last year, had also got letters of disappointment. This shouldn’t be any different.

 

Harry,

Slytherin, huh? Can’t say I was surprised – Charlus might be idiotic enough to bet against Dorea but I certainly wasn’t! Got me a good laugh at the look on my brothers face.

Be careful, Harry. Charlus said you met Regulus in Diagon Alley and he’s a good kid but, as you know, there are others already leaning toward his service. Keep your head down.

Now, other business. I contacted Albus and scheduled you a visit to Madame Phomfrey to do a health scan. Euphemia is worried that your past has affected you and I am inclined to agree. We had planned to take you to our own healer this summer but I’m afraid it slipped our minds, do forgive us. The appointment is after classes today, so be sure to be on time.

Congratulations on your sorting, Harry. I do hope everything goes well.

Fleamont

Harry,

          Oh, your uncle! The reason he had such a good laugh was because he had his own bet with his brother that has Charlus singing everything he tries to say and leaving him with bright, green hair. Look at him, trying to be so mature when he’s nothing but an overgrown child!

          You do show a lot of Slytherin characteristics, dear. I think Charlus was the only one of us that was truly surprised by your sorting, no matter what happened in the past. Dorea is rarely wrong about these things and I think she’s exited to have another Slytherin in the family.

          Do remember to go to the hospital wing after classes. Madame Pomfrey has agreed to send us the results and whatever is needed – and I fear that something will be needed. You are much smaller than James was last year and I am ashamed that we did not look into the issue sooner. Please forgive us.

          We will see you at Christmas, love. Make sure you write us soon!

Euphemia

 

With a large smile on his face, Harry folded up the letter and placed it with the other two, then carefully slipped them into his pocket.

 

“Feeling better?” Regulus asked wryly, rolling his eyes when Harry nodded. “Good. You didn’t even notice when Professor Slughorn brought your schedule. It seems we are taking most of the same classes, though I have Divination instead of Care of Magical Creatures.” He raised a judgmental eyebrow but Harry just returned it.

 

“Divination?”

 

“The Black family has had many seers in the past,” Regulus answered promptly. “If in the future another Black emerges with the gift, it would be paramount that they are understood. There have been many seers in the past that are looked at as if they are insane and are treated as such. I do not want the same to happen to a Black.”

 

Harry thought back to his own Divination professor and the real prophesy she had spoken during his exam in his third year. It was true that most people still thought of her as a fraud and slightly crazy – Harry would have been among them if he hadn’t heard her himself. He could understand why Regulus would want to continue the subject if there was a possibility of his family member having the gift in the future.

 

“Now, we best be leaving,” Regulus said, smoothly getting to his feet. “We need to stop by the dorm and get our books, of course, and it is quite the trek to Transfiguration. We would not want to be late.”

 

Harry nodded and downed his pumpkin juice before standing. He stumbled over the bench, flushing when eyes once again found their way to him. Harry ducked his head and fell into step right behind Regulus, noticing that the other sixth years did the same. Even the two girls that Harry still didn’t know the names of followed them. They had just made it to the doors of the Great Hall when four boys stepped into the room. Harry stopped, not even noticing when Damoncles quietly swore and side stepped to avoid running into him. James and Sirius both paused momentarily, their eyes flickering to Harry, then Regulus, before both of their expressions pinched and they brushed past the group without a word. Peter Pettigrew tested fate by actually chuckling as he walked past, sending Harry a superior look. And then there was Remus. Like Sirius and James, he paused when he saw Harry. Unlike those two, he actually gave him a small smile before ducking his head and hurrying toward the Gryffindor table.

 

“Well,” Regulus snarked, his eyes trailing the Gryffindor’s. “That was enlightening. Come, let’s get our things.”

Chapter 12

Notes:

Sorry for the long wait everyone! I got diagnosed with Leukemia and have spent the last couple of years dealing with chemo/bone marrow transplant/after effects of the transplant. I've had a hard time writing and being motivated.
This chapter probably isn't great but at least I was able to get something written!

If you asked Harry to describe how his first week at Hogwarts went, he wouldn’t be able to come up with the words to explain it. On one hand, it was Hogwarts. He had always loved the school and that hadn’t changed. At the same time…well, everything had changed and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

Slytherin was, well, Slytherin. He wasn’t surprised by the power plays that he saw on a daily basis but he really didn’t understand them. He was well aware that he was making mistakes in his new house, but no one had confronted him about any of them, not since that first day at the breakfast table. Of course, he was pretty sure that had something to do with Regulus and the hard, cold look he threw whoever sneered in Harry’s direction.

Classes were both familiar and completely different. There were teachers he recognized, namely McGonagall and Flitwick, but there were others that he had never seen before. He hadn’t really thought about the fact that some of the teachers in his time were relatively young. Well, he knew someone else would be teaching potions because Snape was the same age as his parents, but he hadn’t thought about some of the other professors. And Slughorn, the head of Slytherin and the current potions professor, was as different from Snape as he could possibly be. The man was friendly and seemed to actually like his students. Of course, some of them he seemed to like a bit more than others. Apparently there was some sort of club or something that he invited his favorites to. Regulus was one of them. Harry had questioned the other boy about the club once and had been fascinated by the light red that slowly crept over the usual pale cheeks. Regulus had just muttered something about Slug Club and invitations but Harry was too transfixed on the sudden blush to really understand what he was saying.

He didn’t bother to ask again.

There were other things that happened during the week that had Harry on edge. The boys in the Slytherin dorm were very neat with their belongings, much to Harry’s surprise as he had just figured they used house elves to clean up after themselves, but he had received more than one disapproving look when he threw his pajama’s on the ground or left his books scattered across his bed. The first time Regulus had seen the inside of Harry’s truck hand earned him a horrified look. Harry had to admit, his trunk was a bit of a mess. He had just thrown everything inside about an hour before they had left for the platform and hadn’t bothered to unpack anything when he arrived at school. He just pulled out whatever he wanted when he needed it. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Harry had asked Regulus if he knew the charm to fold and straighten his clothes. Regulus’s brow had furrowed and he had asked Harry a few questions about the charm in question. Harry, who had only seen the charm used once by Mrs. Weasley, hadn’t been able to answer most of them. In the end, Regulus admitted he didn’t know the charm either and taught Harry a few other charms to help him “stay proper.” It wasn’t until later that Harry realized the charm in question didn’t exist. Not yet, anyway.

There was another instance when one of the seventh year Slytherin’s were talking about house affiliations and family magic. Harry, who had tuned in the moment he heard them whispering about the different types of magic, had accidently mentioned his godfather’s dark core and the fact that he strictly used light magic. The seventh years had demanded to know why someone would do such a thing and Harry flushed when he realized he couldn’t really answer. How was he supposed to say the man despised dark magic because of his family and refused to use it? Lucky for him, Regulus stepped in and said that there were some within families that had a hard time accepting themselves and chose to separate themselves in any way possible. The subject was quickly changed after the others exchanged a quick glance. Everyone knew who Regulus was referring to and no one wanted to upset the Black brother by mentioning the wayward son.

That didn’t stop the suspicious look he received from Regulus or the questions he got later.

“I was unaware you had a godfather,” the boy said casually that night before they went to bed.

Harry was quick to avoid his gaze. “Uh, yeah. He was a friend of my…mom’s. They went to school together. He, uh, wasn’t around much.”

Regulus hummed lowly and Harry felt himself flush. “Have you spoken to him since you moved in with the Potters?”

Harry swallowed around a suddenly dry mouth as Sirius’s young face flashed through his mind. “No. He isn’t really around anymore.”

Regulus didn’t respond to that and Harry quickly climbed into bed and closed his curtain. He had to be more careful about what he said and did, especially around Regulus. One thing he had learned about the Black brother was that he was smart, definitely smarter than Harry, and he easily picked up on things that other people missed.

Which made Harry wonder how he had ended up being a Death Eater.

It was something he was determined to prevent from happening in this life.

Harry had come to realize that Slytherin house was more divided on the issue of Voldemort than he had been led to believe. There were those that fully supported him, like Snape and those he hung around, then there were the ones that seemed to be indifferent, like Regulus and Rosier in his own dorm, and then there were the ones that ignored the entire thing. Harry wasn’t sure if they ignored it because they thought it was all disgusting, like he did, or because they were keeping their cards close to their chest and didn’t want anyone to know what their true affiliations were.

Still, no one in the house openly spoke out against the man.

Harry didn’t have to say what he thought about it. Not only was it clear on his face what his own opinions are to anyone that began spouting off about Voldemort and his goals, he was a Potter. Despite the fact that he was sorted into Slytherin, the Potter’s were well known for staying out of conflict (who knew that was a thing? Harry certainly hadn’t) and remaining neutral. They were a grey family. Harry was a grey wizard. In Slytherin, that was taken as a fact and very few actually expected him to take a stand for or against the man.

It was a welcome change.

And a strange one.

He, of course, knew his family was not going to stay out of it for long. After learning more about the Potter family and their previous neutrality, he had no doubt that that was exactly what they had done in his first life. Well, most of them.

He had no idea why his father had joined the fight with Dumbledore if the rest of the family remained neutral. Maybe he had only joined after the rest of them were killed? Because Harry had no doubt that they were killed. The question was why. If they were killed before James joined the Order, then something must have triggered it. But if they weren’t killed until the prophesy was spoken, when his mom was married to his dad and they were pregnant with him, then why would James had joined up when he did?

If he was actually on speaking terms with his father/cousin, then he might be able to feel him out a bit and see if he was considering joining the order now, before he even graduated from school. Unfortunately, it seemed that James and Sirius were both determined to ignore Harry’s existence completely. Harry had attempted to speak to James the day after his sorting, thinking that maybe he was over the shock and the other would be willing to speak with him. No such luck. Instead, James had just narrowed his eyes and pushed past him, acting as if Harry was just some random kid that got in his way.

Now, a week later, Harry was getting used to James and Sirius ignoring him. Peter was still giving him that smug glance whenever the saw each other and Harry was sure he was going to end up cursing the other boy at some point. Remus wasn’t exactly ignoring him but he wasn’t intervening either. Harry had mentioned the issue to Caelum in his last letter and his brother had made it clear that he wasn’t happy with his younger cousin. Harry was sure the only reason James hadn’t received a letter from the older boy was because Harry had asked him not to in his letter. Caelum told him to ignore James behavior and focus on making his own friends and school. He said James would eventually grow up and realize how idiotic he was being but Harry didn’t need to wait around for that day.

Regulus agreed wholeheartedly with his cousin. He said at least the pranks hadn’t started up yet.

Which, in truth, was surprising considering Harry knew just how many pranks the other boys had planned over the summer. And all of them had been focused on Snape or Regulus. Considering how Harry rarely left Regulus’s side, he was sure to get caught up in whatever the Marauders had planned.

He wasn’t looking forward to it.

“Potter!”

Harry’s head snapped to the side at the unfamiliar voice that called out to him as he was leaving the charms classroom. Regulus paused beside him and shifted to see who had yelled his name. Harry felt the breath catch in his throat as he saw a young woman walking toward him, her back straight and a determined look on her pretty face. She stopped in front of him, flipping her long red hair over her shoulder and staring at him with a familiar pair of bright green eyes. Harry could only blink at the young woman who would eventually become his mother. He had avoided her successfully for the past week, not even looking toward the Gryffindor table when he knew she was there. Why was she coming to speak with him now? How did she even know who he was?

“Did you need something, Evans?” Regulus’s smooth voice eventually cut into Harry’s panicked thoughts. Harry blinked. How long had he been standing there, staring at her like a moron? He felt his face flush.

Lily Evans barely glanced at Regulus before turning her attention to Harry once again. “James is insufferable,” she said bluntly and Harry felt Regulus’s shoulders twitch as he struggled not to laugh. “All he does is complain about a Potter being placed into Slytherin and how you’re going to be manipulated into using the dark arts and join Voldemort or something.” Harry rolled his eyes. Of course that was what James was spouting. “You need to talk to him. He keeps going off on tangents and we can’t get anything done! Seventh year is hard enough with NEWTS and being Head Girl. I can’t deal with this too!”

Harry grimaced. “I’ve tried. He just ignores me.”

Lily huffed. “Try harder! Lock him in a room or something. If I have to keep hearing about this, I’m going to kill him. I can’t have murder on my record if I want to be a healer.”

Harry let out a bark of laughter that was reminiscent of his godfather and even Regulus snorted loudly at his side. “Right, sorry. I’ll try again.”

Lily’s shoulders loosened and Harry realized for the first time how tense his mother had been. Had she really been that worried about talking to him? “Thanks. Really. Sorry for ranting at you, I just…really can’t deal with it anymore.”

“It’s fine,” Harry quicky reassured her. “I mean, I can’t promise anything but I’ll definitely try.”

Lily nodded and gave him a small smile before hurrying off down the hallway. Harry stared after her, a bit overwhelmed that he had just had a conversation, a real one, with his mother for the first time. “I feel like I should be jealous,” Regulus mused from Harry’s side. Harry blinked and glanced confusedly at the other boy. Regulus smirked down at him. “You stared at her just as much as you did me the first time we met. I guess I’m not that special after all.”

Harry knew he was bright red. “Shut up,” he muttered, burying his face in his hands. “It isn’t like that!”

“Sure,” Regulus said with clear amusement. There was silence for a moment, then he spoke again. This time, all the humor was removed from his voice and replaced with a tone of warning. “Look toward your right.”

Harry slowly lifted his head from his hands and glanced toward the right. He instantly met a pair of furious, hazel eyes. Fantastic.
Fantastic.

Chapter 13

Notes:

Wow, guys! Thanks for the comments and well wishes last chapter! I actually ended up back in the treatment center this last week after some more complications, so the comments were great! They made me feel a lot better. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Harry really did try to talk to James. He attempted multiple times to stop him in the hall, he waited for him after meals in the Great Hall, he even managed to wait for him outside of some of his classes. James either flat out ignored him or pushed passed Harry in a way that always ended with Harry stumbling backward, usually against a wall.

He knew that he was on the smaller side but it really became obvious during moments like that. Shouldn’t he be getting a growth spurt by now? James was definitely tall and he was pretty sure his eyes were level with Lily’s nose… height was determined by your parents, right?

Nonetheless, whatever he tried failed. It didn’t help that Sirius had turned into some sort of guard dog that hovered and growled whenever he thought Harry got too close. Harry was just waiting for the older boy to morph into his animagus form and go for his throat.

Harry sighed in annoyance as James once again stormed by him as if he didn’t exist. Sirius scowled at him furiously as he hurried after his friend and Peter sent that smirk his way once again as he waddled after the other two boys. Harry clenched his jaw and crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for Remus to slink passed him and give him that weird apologetic smile he had been getting lately, but this time it didn’t happen. Instead, Remus stepped up by his side and let out a deep sigh. “Sirius and James both have some very…strong feelings regarding Slytherins, as I’m sure you know,” the older boy said softly, grimacing when Harry narrowed his eyes in his direction. He held up placating hands. “I don’t agree with them…not completely. I think both of them felt a bit betrayed when you didn’t end up in Gryffindor.”

Harry rolled his eyes, mentally hearing Regulus chastising him for the motion in the back of his mind. “It wasn’t as if I picked it anymore than they picked their own house. Plus, they seem to be fine with Dorea.”

Remus signed yet again but turned his gaze toward where James was turning the corner. “Neither of them think of it like that. Dorea…in their eyes, Dorea turned her back on everything ‘dark’ when she joined the Potter family. Just like Sirius did. You…did the opposite.”

“That’s stupid,” Harry bluntly replied. It was all ridiculous and he wondered how exactly James had avoided Euphemia’s history lessons- particularly the ones about the different types of magic and what type, exactly, the Potter family was known for. “The Potter’s are a gray family with gray magic. The fact that James leans more toward the light while I lean more toward the dark isn’t a surprise in families like ours. And being in Slytherin doesn’t automatically make you dark, just like being in Gryffindor doesn’t make you light.” He gave Remus a pointed look and wondered why the other boy looked so shocked. “Sirius can choose to use light magic as much as he wants, it doesn’t make it any easier for him. He will always have a dark core. Your personal morals aren’t the same as your core, Remus.”

“I…” Remus trailed off, blinking a bit frantically as if he was trying to understand the words that Harry had just said. “I’m sorry, did you say the Potter’s are a gray family?”

Now it was Harry’s turn to blink in confusion. “Yes?”

“Since when?”

“Always?” Harry frowned, tilting his head as he stared at the flummoxed boy beside him. “Do you…do you know the history of magical cores? How they came to be and why some families are considered light or dark? Or why families like mine are gray?”

Remus was still giving him that look, like he had suddenly sprouted another head or something. Harry was suddenly reminded that he himself had never heard of such a thing until he came to the past and was tutored by Euphemia. No one in the future had ever mentioned it to him. What if they hadn’t because they hadn’t known? Well, he was sure Sirius would have known but it wasn’t something he could imagine his godfather willingly sharing. But Remus…

“I have a book,” Harry said cautiously, hoping he wouldn’t offend the other by making the offer. “That explains the history and the cores of different families. It even talks about how if affects the modern wizard.”

Remus’s eyes flashed eagerly before he schooled his features. He frowned slightly as his amber eyes studied Harry. “I’m not sure if I should… if the book is from certain…” he trailed off and Harry had to squash the annoyance that suddenly flared in his chest. Of course. If the book possibly came from one of Slytherin friends – aka, dark friends – then it wasn’t to be trusted.

“It’s from Euphemia,” he said, his voice slightly colder than it had been only moments before. “It’s from the lessons we had this summer. I have more from her as well on the subject, but this is the best one that explains if for beginners.”

“Oh,” Remus muttered, a light blush crossing his face. He looked at Harry sheepishly and rubbed a hand against he back of his neck. “I – yes, I would appreciate it. I’m afraid I don’t know much about the subject. I thought that the conversations about dark, light, and gray families mostly had to do with political alliances.”

Harry fought back a snort. “I get it. I thought so too until Euphemia explained that wasn’t true. Sure, some of the families with the same type of cores tend to stick together politically wise, but that’s mostly because of the types of magic they can use.” Harry waved a hand when Remus gave him a confused glance. “It’ll make sense after you read the book. I can bring it to the library after dinner?”

“Yes,” Remus agreed with a small smile. “I would like that. Thank you, Harry.” He seemed to hesitate for a minute before his shoulders tensed yet again. “James and Sirius… they’re planning something. I’m not sure exactly what it is but James was upset when he saw you with Lily last week.”

Harry rolled his eyes yet again and shook his head. He knew that his father/cousin had been immature when he was young, even Sirius had admitted that, but getting upset with Harry because he talked to the girl? That was ridiculous. “She was complaining about James complaining about me,” he told Remus, “she wanted me to talk to him so he would stop.”

Remus huffed out a laugh that he quickly covered with his hand. “Ah,” he said when he got himself under control. “I see. Well, I can mention that to James but I’m not sure what good it’ll do.”

Harry shook his head and began walking down the corridor. “At this point, I’m not sure I even want to bother. He’s acting like a spoiled brat and I shouldn’t have to be the one chasing after him. And the whole Lily thing, well, we can say I am definitely not interested and he has no reason to be jealous.”

Remus tilted his head slightly to the side as he looks at him curiously. “She is a very attractive girl,” he replied lightly. “It wouldn’t be odd if you liked her.”

Harry had to stop himself from gagging at the words. “She’s not my type,” he forced himself to say.

Harry wasn’t sure if he liked the way Remus’s eyes widened in a type of understanding. “Ah. I see.” Remus nodded his head and motioned toward a side corridor. “I’m going this way. I will attempt to speak with James and Sirius but I cannot say if it will do any good.”

Fighting back a tired sigh, Harry merely shrugged his shoulders. “You can just do what you can. If he wants to talk to me, he knows where to find me.” Remus’s brows furrowed but he nodded once again before turning and walking down the other corridor. Harry stared after him for just a moment before continuing on his own way. He was completely serious about what he said to Remus. He was tired of chasing after James, of trying to make the other boy see that he was the same person he had been this summer. He hadn’t changed just because he was placed in a different house.

If James couldn’t see that, then Harry wasn’t going to try and force him.

He had spent too many years being judged for things that he couldn’t change. He was finally in a place where he could be away from all of that, a place where he could choose to be just Harry. That’s who he was going to be, whether James liked it or not.

Harry made his way down to the dungeons and through the portrait hole. He glanced up at the low voices he heard in the far corner and felt his body freeze at what he was seeing.

It was a group, a group of people he had either managed to avoid or at least push out of his mind since he had been placed in Slytherin. The younger Lestrange brother, Evan Rosier, Severus Snape, Damocles Rowle….and Regulus.

He swallowed hard around a suddenly dry throat as he tried to process what he was seeing. Everyone knew that the younger Lestrange was set to join Voldemort at the end of the year, just like his older brother had the year before. Harry abruptly remembered exactly what the Lestrange brothers ended up doing in the future. Neville’s face flashed though his mind and he tried to stop the bile rising in his throat as Lestrange leaned over and whispered something in Regulus’s ear. The Black brother’s eyes snapped toward Harry as Lestrange leaned back with a smirk. Regulus stood smoothly, walking across the common room and coming to a stop in front of Harry. “Harry,” the boy greeted, his eyes guarded as he squared his shoulders. “I thought you would be longer. Did you have any luck with Potter?”

Harry’s hands clenched inside the sleeves of his robes. He thought that he’d be longer? Does this mean that it was a regular occurrence?

Had Regulus been meeting with the future Death Eater group this entire time?

“No,” he responded as he looked over Regulus’s shoulder to stare at the group of boys that were staring right back at him. Most of them had their own smirks on their faces, like they were daring him to say something. Daring him to ask.

Well, if that’s what they wanted.

“What are you doing?” he asked, turning his attention back to Regulus once again and meeting his gray eyes. “Since when do you hang out with…them?”

Regulus’s gaze dropped momentarily before coming back up defiantly. “I’ve known them for years. I do not believe it is any business of yours what we are speaking about.”

Harry felt like he had physically been hit. Right. Right, he was just some new person in Regulus’s life that could easily be replaced and ignored. Just like he was with James and Sirius. “I see,” Harry responded, his voice just as cold and the one Regulus had used. He thought he saw the other boy hide a flinch but he drew himself up and turned toward the stairs. “Well, I hope you enjoy making those bad decisions. You won’t be able to take them back later.”

Chapter 14

Things did end up changing for Harry after that but it wasn’t for the better. There was an obvious distance between himself and Regulus, one that the other Slytherin’s took as a sign to treat Harry as if he didn’t exist. He supposed not existing was better than him being treated like some sort of threat. He wasn’t being cursed or anything, just…it was if he wasn’t there. He guessed he should have found more friends than just Regulus in his house because without him, Harry really didn’t have anyone.

The future death eater crowd seemed to find the entire thing hilarious. Especially when Harry would walk pass the group in the common room, which now included Regulus, and the other boy would carefully keep his eyes averted from Harry. The few times that they did accidently make eye contact, Regulus would remain completely stoic. The people around him would smirk, some even openly laughing at the situation. Harry wasn’t sure what about all of it was so funny.

His spot at the Slytherin table beside Regulus was claimed by Damocles, which Harry supposed was fitting since it had been his seat before Harry started at Hogwarts. Harry had been shuffled down the table to sit by the first years, a clear sign that he wasn’t welcomed by the upper years and was seen as barely more tolerable than those that had just started at the school. He had to admit he was a little surprised he wasn’t at the end of the table next to the few muggle borns in the house.

To make things worse, Remus’s prediction seemed to have come into fruition. He couldn’t prove that James and Sirius were behind anything, of course, but he had heard enough the past summer of their exploits to know what was going on. Most of the pranks were mild, tampering with his food, a tripping jinx in the hall, a skin color changing charm. Nothing that really caused any harm. However, the enchanted armor that attacked him in the corridor whenever he stepped out of a classroom had ended him up in the hospital wing with a mild concussion and a broken arm. Remus had apologized profusely for that one, saying that he hadn’t found out and been able to put a stop to it before it happened – which just told Harry that there were other, more volatile pranks that Remus had been able to stop.

Remus had actually been a welcome surprise. Harry had met with him as they had planned and given him the book from Euphemia explaining the history of magical cores and the other boy had devoured it within the night. He had cornered Harry the next day and demanded that he give him any other information he had. Harry had agreed and soon found himself spending an hour or two in the library with Remus each night. Of course, this seemed to only infuriate James and Sirius by the more frequent glares he was getting, and even Lily was sending him irritated looks. Apparently, she didn’t appreciate his new friendship because it just gave James something else to complain about.

Harry soon fell into a routine. He woke early, earlier than any of his dormmates, got ready and left for breakfast as the others were pulling themselves out of bed. He ate his breakfast and then went to the library before classes started. He attended classes, then went flying when the pitch was empty. If there were others around, he would usually take a walk through the grounds until dinner. He ate then went to the library to meet with Remus. The two would talk about their independent studies, Harry still focusing mostly on the different forms of magic and how it connected to the politics in the wizarding world. Then the two would go their separate ways, Remus either meeting with his friends or doing prefect duties while Harry returned to Slytherin where he would go straight to his dorm and close the curtain on his bed. He would complete his homework and then continue with his projects before he went to bed. It was lonely and a little boring, but Harry couldn’t bring himself to do anything else.

He wished his friends were there. His friends that he had abandoned and didn’t even know if they were still alive. Well, here, they weren’t. They wouldn’t be for at least a few more years. But in that timeline…

He would never know and the worry of what could have happened threatened to drag him under everyday.

He knew he couldn’t go back, that had been made very clear. But at the same time, he didn’t feel like he could stay here either. He didn’t belong here, didn’t fit. He had no idea what he was going to do with his life. He had always been so focused on just living, on surviving. Now he could possibly have some sort of future. Maybe. Maybe not, considering they still didn’t know why the Potter family had been targeted. Maybe he would just end up dying with everyone else and leave this universe’s version of him to be alone with the Dursley’s all over again.

It wasn’t until Harry was on the Hogwarts Express going back to the Potter’s that he felt like he could finally relax. He was almost…excited to see his family again. Even if that family included James and now Sirius, he would get to spend Christmas with them. He had managed to by everyone Christmas gifts on the last Hogsmeade trip. He just hoped that they liked what he had gotten. He had never gotten Christmas gifts for family before.

He was sitting alone in a compartment. It was a little humiliating that there wasn’t even someone that needed a place to sit in there with him, but at least he could work on his homework in peace. If he did it now, then he wouldn’t have to deal with it during break. He was almost done with his charms essay when the door slid open. Harry glanced up in surprise, not expecting to see anyone since the ride was halfway over. Whatever welcome he wanted to give instantly fell away when he saw the person standing there.

Regulus avoided his gaze as he slid the door closed behind him. “Potter,” Regulus greeted, his voice the same monotone he had been using the last month.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Black,” he responded in the same tone, turning his attention back to his essay. He didn’t see the point in playing whatever game Regulus was currently playing.

Silence rang throughout the compartment. Harry found himself reading over the same line in his essay multiple times as he tried to figure out why Regulus was there and why he wasn’t saying anything. Finally, he sighed and glanced up at the other boy. Fine. “What do you want?”

Regulus’s lips twitched as if he knew that Harry would be the one to break. Harry rolled his eyes again. “I assume you will be spending the break with my cousin.”

Cousin… “Dorea?” Harry questioned, “She’s my step-mother, so I guess so.” He replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Regulus nodded and didn’t respond to the obvious dig. “Would you mind giving her this?” he asked, holding out a letter with a thick wax seal.

“Do I look like an owl?”

Regulus’s hand tightened around the letter. “The matter is…delicate,” he finally said, still refusing to meet Harry’s gaze. “I would appreciate it if you did this one thing for me.”

Harry could have been petty. He could have said if Regulus wanted to speak to Dorea, he could just do it when they arrived on the platform. He could have said to send the damn owl. But…but Harry couldn’t make the words come out of his mouth. He thought back to the boy he had been spending time with, the one that helped him with homework he didn’t understand, who had sat up with him and talked about his future goals (ones that didn’t include becoming a death eater or Voldemort), the person that Harry had liked. He wasn’t sure what had happened in the last month to turn Regulus into who he was now, or what had happened to make their budding friendship fall apart, but he had never been good at ignoring someone that was asking for his help.

“fine,” Harry muttered, reaching out and taking the letter from Regulus. “I’ll make sure she gets it.”

“…thank you,” the other boy muttered. He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and exited the compartment, closing the door firmly behind him.

Harry stared at the closed door, his chest burning with an unfamiliar emotion. After a moment, he let out a deep sigh and let his eyes fall to the letter clutched in his hand.

Should have told him to use a damn owl.

Chapter 15

Notes:

STOP: This is the second chapter I posted today! Be sure to go back and read the chapter before this one!

Harry could barely understand the pure feelings of relief and happiness he felt when he stepped off the train and saw his family standing there. Caelum, surprisingly, was the first person to reach him. His ‘brother’ pulled him into a tight hug, telling him how happy he was that he was home. “Don’t worry,” he said lowly, his arms tightening around Harry, “James is going to get a rude awakening.”

Harry frowned at the words and pulled away from Caelum, wanting to get answers, but Eileen was already waiting for her own hug. “Welcome home,” she whispered before transferring a wiggling Archie into his arms. “Someone missed his favorite uncle.” Harry blinked at the sudden weight in his arms and couldn’t help but smile when he looked down at the beaming smile of his nephew.

He hadn’t even realized how much he missed the baby…who no longer looked like such a baby. “Oh, you’ve gotten bigger,” he said, feeling a bit like an idiot as Caelum let out a bark of laughter and Eileen giggled.

“They do that.”

“Harry,” Charlus boomed, pulling both Harry and Archie into a hug. “Welcome back! We’ve got a feast planned now that the three of you are home!”

“Yes, I do believe we went a bit overboard,” Dorea mused, giving Harry a soft, quick hug. Harry felt the letter burn against his thigh. He’d give it to her when they got back home.

There was a clap on his shoulder that had Harry stumble forward slightly. He tightened his arms around Archie as the young boy let out a loud squeal. “Welcome home!” Fleamont greeted, squeezing his shoulder and staring down at him with fond eyes.

“Yes, welcome home, dear,” Euphemia exclaimed, hugging him tightly. Her eyes flickered toward James and Sirius, who were standing a bit away from the group and avoiding gazes, before settling on Harry once more. Her smile was strained as she ran her hand though his hair. “Oh, we should get this cut before you go back. It’s getting a bit wild.”

Charlus laughed loudly, “Isn’t it always?” he asked as he gestured toward his own unruly hair.

Dorea sighed, “Yes, but there’s no need to encourage it.” She also glanced toward James and Sirius before raising an eyebrow. “Are the two of you going to greet us?”

James moved forward with a grimace, “Sorry, auntie,” he muttered, hugging her softly and accepting the light kiss she placed on his cheek. Sirius was only a step behind but he carefully avoided her eyes. Dorea’s smile tightened.

“James,” Caelum greeted his cousin. Even Harry could hear the coolness in his tone. James flinched.

“Well, I think we should all return to the manor,” Euphemia lightly declared. “It’s wise not to linger,” she continued. It was only then that Harry realized most of the other students and their families were already gone. He supposed that was true – the war had everyone a bit on edge and it wouldn’t surprise him if Voldemort attacked the platform for some reason only he would understand.

The group quickly split up, Caelum wrapping his arm around Harry as Eileen took Archie. The young boy whined and reached for Harry again. Caelum laughed at his son. “You’ll see Uncle Harry again in a minute,” he assured him right before he apparated himself and Harry to the Potter house. The others appeared at the same time and the group all hurried inside to avoid the chill that permeated the grounds. Nissey was there to greet them, welcoming them home and saying she had the food on the table. She quickly snapped her fingers and Harry, James, and Sirius’s trunks disappeared. Harry assumed he'd find his later in his bedroom.

Dinner was a grand affair. It seemed like Nissey had decided to make all three of their favorite foods, so there was a wide variety. Harry happily packed his own plate. He had always thought the Hogwarts food was the best there was but he had grown to love the food Nissey made over the summer and had missed it dearly while he was gone. It was a strange thing, missing something when he was at Hogwarts. Usually, it was away from the school that left him feeling homesick.

Conversation was light, with the three of them being asked about school and classes. Harry carefully avoided talking about his ‘friends’ and told them that he was doing well in his classes and was doing some of his own research projects of various things. He was pretty sure they were aware he was avoiding the topic by the glances they exchanged, but none of them said anything. James and Sirius happily told of their ‘pranks’ and their own classes. James relayed his experiences with being head boy and went misty eyed when he started talking about Lily.

It wasn’t until they were eating dessert that Caelum cleared his throat and pinned James with a hard stare. “Alright, enough of this. Want to explain the way you’ve been acting toward Harry this year?”

“Caelum-“

“Sorry, Auntie,” Caelum said, cutting off Euphemia without moving his eyes away from a red-faced James. “We’ve been putting up with James and his ‘pranks’ against others for years, all of us thinking that he’d grow up eventually. But this is going too far.”

“What are you-“ Sirius started furiously but Caelum just turned those cool eyes onto his second-cousin. Sirius snapped his mouth shut.

“The two of you need to get over this prejudice you have against Slytherin’s,” Caelum said cuttingly. “You know Harry. You were perfectly fine with him over the summer. He didn’t change as a person just because a hat placed him in another house.”

“But-“

“Did the two of you forget that I was in Slytherin?” Dorea questioned, clearly joining in on her son’s attempt to get the two boys to understand. James and Sirius both blinked at her. “My house didn’t change because I fell in love with Charlus. I’m still the same person I have always been.”

“You left the family-“

“I did not,” Dorea responded, sending Sirius a harsh look. “I still attend all family meetings, as you know. I am Regulus’s godmother. I am a Black, no matter that I married into the Potter family. Just as you will always be a Black, no matter how hard you try to run from it.” Sirius’s face turned red with rage but before he could erupt, Dorea held up her hand. “I do not in any way believe the way your mother and father treat you and Regulus is right. I do not agree with their actions and I am happy you are here in a place where you are safe. But the two of them do not make up the entire family. There are plenty of options for the future, Sirius. If you want to leave the family, that is your decision. However, we have not and will not cast you out. No matter what your witch of a mother believes. But back to the matter at hand,” her gray eyes flickered between Sirius and James. “A person’s house does not dictate all who they are.”

“Slytherin has more dark wizards than any other house!” James snapped out, clearly embarrassed at being called out the way he was.

Euphemia’s eyebrows rose. “Who told you that?” she asked, shaking her head when James turned to stare at her with wide eyes. “Do you not remember any of your lessons on magic and magical cores? All of the houses have those with dark cores, just as they all have those with light and gray cores. A dark core does not make you a dark wizard. Grindewald had a gray core. The last “dark lord” as he was called, had a light core. Merlin himself had a dark core and was in Gryffindor.”

James looked flabbergasted at the information, “But Dumbledore said-“

“Dumbledore?” Fleamont questioned, his brows furrowing. “Why would you be speaking with Dumbledore about something like this?”

James looked uncomfortable yet again and he exchanged a look with Sirius. “He’s been talking to us. About the war and about fighting to-“

“Absolutely not,” Euphemia cut in, her eyes flashing as she slammed her fork down on the table. Everyone, especially James, looked shocked. “Albus Dumbledore should in now way be discussing the war to children. He should not be recruiting those children to fight by his side. In doing so, he’s no better than Voldemort. And to do so, he’s spreading false allegations and lies. I will not have you or anyone else in this family pulled into a war by Albus Dumbledore.”

There was silence as everyone stared at the usually docile woman. Harry’s lips began to twitch as he looked at his grandmother. He had to admit, he knew that she wasn’t happy with the things Harry had told her about the future and he knew that she placed a lot of the blame on Dumbledore, but he hadn’t thought she was this adamant about it.

He laughed.

He couldn’t help it. The laughter just burst from his lips and every eye turned to him in shock. “Sorry,” he said, still giggling and trying hard to get it under control. “I just…sorry.” Archie squealed loudly, throwing his hands up in the air toward Harry and giggling. The sight of the baby and his obvious happiness broke the rest of the tension in the room, and soon everyone was laughing.

Dinner ended quickly after that with Caelum and Eileen heading home with baby Archie, both of them promising they would be back soon so Archie could see Harry again. James and Sirius were quick to disappear, most likely going to James room. Harry didn’t even pretend that he would be welcome to join them. Instead, he headed into the Potter library and began to search for more books on history of magic. It was when he was pulling a book off the shelf that he was reminded of the letter in his pocket. With a curse, he quickly exited the library and made his way toward the family room where he knew Dorea was sitting with Euphemia.

“Dorea? Can I talk to you?” Harry asked, feeling bad for interrupting the women when he saw the upset look on Euphemia’s face.

“Of course,” Dorea responded, placing a soft hand of Euphemia’s shoulder before moving out of the room with Harry. “Is something wrong?” She questioned.

“I don’t think so?” Harry said, not really knowing the answer. He pulled the letter from his pocket and handed it to the older woman. “Regulus asked me to give this to you. He said he couldn’t use an owl.”

Dorea’s eyebrows shot up and she quickly unsealed the letter. Harry watched as her usually pale face seemed to turn a sickly gray color and she reached out to place a steadying hand against the wall. “Well,” she finally said, her voice shaking in a way Harry had never heard before. “Thank you for bringing this to me. I must retire for the evening.” She didn’t wait for a response before she hurried down the hall.

The bad feeling in Harry’s stomach grew.

He knew he probably shouldn’t, knew that it most likely wouldn’t do any good, but he couldn’t stop himself from sending a letter.

Regulus,
I know we just returned home but I thought I would check in. James and I had quite the welcome. Nissey made more food than I think I’ve ever seen in my life. Charlus and Dorea were both happy to see me and send their well wishes. Archie has grown a lot, more than I expected. I did not realize how much I missed him until I saw him this afternoon. Maybe you’ll be able to see him soon as well?

I hope your homecoming was as nice as mine,

HP

There. That didn’t really give anything away and still showed Regulus that he was thinking about him. And asking if he would see Archie soon would be asking if he would see him soon…

It was the best he could do.

He sent the letter and tried to push it from his head. He was sure that everything was fine. And if it wasn’t, Dorea would take care of it.

The next day that a sheepish James appeared in Harry’s bedroom door. “Can we talk?” he asked, shifting uncomfortably.

Harry tilted his head from where he was resting on his bed. “I suppose,” he responded, pulling himself into a sitting position and closing his book.

James moved further into the room and, after a moment of hesitance, sat in front of Harry on the bed. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck and meeting Harry’s eyes in determination. “I just…I guess Caelum’s right. I need to grow up. I never really thought about Aunt Dorea being in Slytherin because she was a Potter, you know? So it didn’t seem like the same thing.”

“I’m a Potter as well,” Harry responded blandly, instantly seeing the flaw in whatever logic James thought he was using.

It seemed to be something James didn’t think of, from the way his mouth snapped shut and he blinked at Harry as he processed the words. “Right. Yeah, that’s… right.”

Harry rolled his eyes as James fell silent. “Alright, yeah, so what? Now that Caelum called you out you feel bad?”

James flushed. “I…yeah, okay, I was a prat. I’m sorry. I felt like you betrayed me or something by going into Slytherin and then I saw you with Lily-“

“Yeah, I have no interest in Lily,” Harry muttered, shaking his head in exasperation as James looked offended. “She’s not really my type, James. Besides, she just talked to me because she wanted you to stop complaining about me. So…you should stop that.”

James laughed in a way that had Harry cringing back. It was kind of a hysterical, maniacal laugh that sent every nerve in Harry’s body on edge. “She…she was talking to you about me? Thinking about me?”

“Uh…I guess? Maybe if you stopped complaining about me all the time you guys could find something else to talk about?” Harry muttered, feeling a bit uncomfortable by the turn in conversation. It wasn’t as if he wanted to help get his parents together. Or maybe that’s exactly what he should want? He didn’t know at this point.

“I…right, okay, yeah, that’s a good idea,” James muttered, still looking slightly shocked. “But, uh, yeah. Sorry. About everything. Remus told us we were being idiots but we didn’t really listen.”

“You should,” Harry told him, “Remus is the smartest of all of you.”

James grimaced but nodded. “Yeah, I’m understanding that.”

Chapter 16

Harry was beginning to think that there was seriously something wrong with James and Sirius. The day after James appeared in Harry’s room, the two of them had suddenly shown up at his door and asked him to play quidditch. The only thing Harry could do was stare at the two of them in complete bewilderment. When he said no, they both frowned at him like they didn’t understand. Sirius had then looked at the book Harry held in his hand and said he should but the book down before he turned into another Remus.

Harry merely shook his head and returned to his reading.

They tried again at lunch, asking him if he wanted to eat with them outside for a “muggle picnic” that they had heard about from Lily. Harry declined the invitation and asked Nessy to bring his food to his room, just in case they changed their minds and decided to join him in the dining room.

He just didn’t understand what the two were thinking. Yes, they had a lecture from the rest of the family about their behavior and James had…apologized? Sort of? Harry was pretty sure even Dudley could have given a better apology than what he had received from his father/cousin. Cousin. Just cousin. Better and easier to think that the person he knew wasn’t his father. His father was a good man, one that had died to protect him. Not the person Harry had seen the last few months.

Caelum and Eileene brought Archie over that night and Harry found himself stacking soft blocks with the giggling baby boy. It was a welcome distraction. He smiled fondly as Archie reached out to knock their tower over once again. “Oh, look at that! It all fell down!” he said, laughing as Archie clapped his hands together happily. Eileene laughed from where she was sitting on the sofa, crochet hooks in hand. Harry was vividly reminded of Mrs. Weasley at the sight and had to shake his head to try and clear the image. His heart felt heavy as he thought of the Weasley sweaters that were still in his trunk back home.

He didn’t think he’d ever get one now.

“Harry!” Sirius yelled as he and James ran into the room. Archie’s face instantly twisted at the loud noise and Harry shot Sirius a glare as he attempted to calm the tantrum before it started. “Harry, you wanna help James and I with our newest prank potion? It’ll be a good laugh when we get back to Hogwarts.”

Harry scowled at the older boy. “A good laugh like changing someone’s skin green or a good laugh like enchanting armor and making a person end up in the hospital wing?”

Sirius flushed and James began to stutter something in the background, but Eileene slowly placed her crochet down beside her. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

James and Sirius exchanged a panicked glance before turning wide eyes to Harry. Harry stared back at them coldly. He knew that Dumbledore had managed to stop the Potter’s from being alerted of his ‘accident’, as he always did when a Slytherin student was hurt or bullied. Harry should have alerted them himself, he knew that, but he had worried about their reactions. Especially since James was their actual child, the child that they had raised, and Harry was just some unknown relative that showed up out of nowhere. However, the last couple of days had shown him that the Potters really did care about him and his wellbeing. He had known that, over the summer, but his semester at school had made him forget it.

“Oh, James and Sirius included me in some of their pranks during school,” Harry commented. “Some of them were kind of funny, I guess. Irritating more than anything. The armor though,” he glared at the rapidly paling boys. “that was just cruel. And completely unnecessary.”

“And what exactly did this armor do?” Eileene questioned, her eyes flashing dangerously as she stood crossed her arms over her chest.

“It wasn’t supposed to be that bad!” James protested loudly. “It was just supposed to swing his club a bit! It wasn’t supposed to actually hit him!”

“Hit him?!” Eileene snapped. Her arms fell to her sides as she processed the words, then she was suddenly in front of Harry, pulling him to his feet. She looked him over quickly, pressing a hand against his head. “Where? Were you hurt? Of course you were hurt! Why didn’t we know?”

“Mild concussion and a broken arm,” Harry responded, enjoying the way both Sirius and James eyes widened at the information. Eileene, however, was furious as she rounded on the two seventh years.

“You two in the dining room. Now. I’m going to get Euphemia and Fleamont. And Charlus. Maybe Dorea,” she muttered, gripping Harry’s arm and pulling him behind her. Harry quickly bent down to grab Archie as they stumbled toward the door. James and Sirius had already disappeared by the time they got there. Harry was a bit surprised and kind of scared when he saw the determined and furious expression on Eileene’s face. Like Euphemia, she wasn’t usually one to lose her temper.

“Can you all join us in the dining room?” Eileene asked when they entered the sitting room to find Dorea and Euphemia talking with Caelum. All three looked at her in surprise but readily agreed. “Where are Fleamont and Charlus?”

“Charlus is in the greenhouse,” Dorea responded, her brows furrowing when she glanced between Harry and Eileene. “I believe Fleamont is current in the potions lab?” She asked Euphemia, who nodded in agreement.

“Caelum, can you get Fleamont, please? Nessy!” The little elf popped into the room, “Can you ask Charlus to meet us in the dining room? I just found out some information that I believe should have been divulged earlier.” Nessy nodded quickly before popping away. Caelum gave his wife a curious look but quickly strode out of the room, obviously going to do as she said.

Harry felt himself flush as Euphemia and Dorea looked at him curiously. He hadn’t meant to cause such a fuss with his confession. He had thought that the best person to ‘tell’ would be Eileene because she seemed to be less…invested than the others. Apparently, he was wrong. “What exactly has happened, dear?” Euphemia asked Eileene.

Eileene sighed and finally let go of Harry’s wrist. “Apparently James and Sirius used some of their pranks on Harry this year. One of them ended with Harry in the hospital wing.”

“What?!” Both women snapped, instantly swarming around Harry as if they could see whatever wounds he had received despite them being healed almost a month ago. “What happened?”

“I figured we’d find out more about that from James and Sirius,” Eileene responded. “I told them to wait in the dining room while I got everyone together.”

Both Dorea and Euphemia stormed out of the room, Eileene not far behind. Harry blinked down at an oddly subdued Archie. “The women in this family are a bit scary, aren’t they?” His mind flashed to other women he knew. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Hermione, Luna… “Or maybe it’s just a women in general thing.” He sighed and slowly made his own way toward the dining room, not exactly thrilled to be having this conversation with the entire family but knowing it needed to be done.

He still remembered what he had seen in Snape’s pensieve in his fifth year. The way James and Sirius had tormented him, the way they had hung him up and…well, he knew that Sirius and Remus both said that they had grown up but this was two years later. Two years since that incident.

They didn’t seem to have changed at all.

Harry walked into the dining room and saw James and Sirius sitting on one side, their arms crossed over their chests and defiant looks on their faces. Dorea and Euphemia were across from them, both women staring down the two. Harry saw James fidget. Eileene was off to the side, obviously feeling as if Fleamont and Charlus should be closer to the boys than she. Indeed, when Fleamont came in a few minutes later he grimaced at the tension in the room before taking the seat beside his wife, facing his son. Caelum was quick to slide into the empty seat next to Eileene and Harry decided he would stay next to his brother.

It seemed safer that way.

Charlus was the last to arrive. He walked into the room and instantly raised his eyebrows before plopping down beside Dorea. “Alright, what exactly is going on? Boys?”

Neither James or Sirius seemed willing to respond. Eileene cleared her throat and didn’t seem to be phased at all as every eye in the room turned to her. “Harry and I were in the parlor with Archie when James and Sirius came in. They were asking Harry to help them with a prank. During the conversation, it came out that they have been pranking Harry during the school year,” none of the adults looked surprised by the admission. “One of those pranks resulted in Harry ending up in the hospital wing with a concussion and a broken arm.”

There was a second of silence, just a second as everyone processed the words she had said, and then hell broke loose.

Caelum jumped to his feet and began to yell at James and Sirius. Fleamont’s own voice was raised as he started questioning James about what they had done. Euphemia had her head in her hands and seemed to be shaking – Harry wasn’t sure if she was crying or if it was in rage. Dorea and Sirius had locked eyes, Dorea’s hand on her wand as Sirius began to sweat. Charlus was also on his feet, though Harry really couldn’t tell what he was saying.

And Archie started to cry.

Harry tried to calm his nephew but with all the loud noises and the tension, he knew it was futile. Harry sent Eileene a desperate glance and she held out her arms, willing to take her son from him. But Harry shook his head and stood, making his own way into the kitchen to get the small boy away from the explosion that occurred in the other room. “Shh,” Harry muttered, bouncing Archie up and down in an attempt to calm him. “It’s alright. Everything is okay.”

It didn’t take long for the boy to quiet and fall asleep, his head resting on Harry’s chest. Harry sighed and looked toward the dining room. Honestly, he’d rather not go back in but he knew that wasn’t an option. Gathering what Gryffindor courage he had left, Harry walked back to the dining room.

The room was silent as he walked in and he quickly glanced at Eileene in hopes that she would tell him what was happening. Eileene smiled softly at the sight of her son soundly asleep against Harry’s chest. “I’ll go put him down,” she said, standing and taking the sleeping boy from Harry’s arms. “They were waiting for you,” she whispered before heading out of the room.

Waiting for him? Oh, how nice.

“What, exactly, did the two of you do and how do we not know about it?” Dorea asked the moment Eileene and Archie were out of the room.

James winced. “It wasn’t supposed to hurt him! Not really. We just…thought it would be funny if the suits of armor swung their clubs at him when he was in the corridor. They weren’t supposed to hit him!”

“He could have ducked,” Sirius muttered.

Harry’s mouth dropped open at the words and he knew he wasn’t the only one. “Sorry, let me have you blindsided by a six foot piece of metal and let’s see how well you do.”

Sirius sent him a glare but was quickly cowed by the one he got from Dorea for his trouble. “You thought it would be funny for the suits of armor to attack your cousin,” Fleamont replied flatly. “How would you think that would be funny?”

James looked at Sirius helplessly. “It just…would? I mean, people laughed!”

It was true. There had been many people in the corridor that laughed as Harry dodged and rolled away from the giant metal club that swung at him. “So causing someone pain is funny to you?” Euphemia questioned, the disappointment and disapproval clear in her voice.

“What? No! That isn’t what I – it wasn’t supposed to go like that!”

“So, to clarify, you enchanted the suites of armor to attack Harry in the corridor. They did attack him and he ended up in the hospital wing with some serious injuries. And then what happened?” At the confused looks he was given, Charlus continued. “You harmed another student. Purposefully. As the father of said student,” James winced, “I should have at least been informed that my son was in the hospital wing. Considering I wasn’t, I want to know what punishment the two of you were given.”

Both boys blinked at the other man, as if the thought of punishment had never even crossed their minds. Harry couldn’t stop the smirk that came on his own face. He knew the answer to this, knew what he had been told.

“Uh,” James shifted in his chair and looked at the table. “Dumbledore said it was just a minor prank gone wrong and that it was more of a family squabble than anything…so we had a Saturday detention and lost fifty points.”

“You have got to be kidding,” Caelum exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Harry and pulling him against him. Harry tensed at the sudden contact but relaxed after a moment. He wasn’t sure why Caelum insisted on hugging him so often but he was sure he’d get used to it eventually. “fifty points? Fifty? And one detention? I got more than that when I told McGonagall that she looked better as a cat!”

Wait, what?

“That is completely unacceptable,” Dorea agreed, her voice shaking with suppressed anger. “That man has always had his prejudice against those in Slytherin house. At least when he was a professor, the headmaster was able to put a stop to most of his…actions. To allow such a thing is disgusting.”

Sirius and James both looked as if they were going to protest but an exchanged look had both of them closing their mouths. Euphemia’s head was still buried in her hands and Harry felt a rush of guilt and worry. Should he have just kept this to himself? Was she alright? He suddenly remembered that she and Fleamont had both been dead by the time he was born, which was just a few years from now. What if there was some wort of medical condition he didn’t know about that she died from? What if the stress from this gave her a heart attack?

What if he ended up ruining his family just because of a little prank that had gotten out of hand?

“I do not know what to say to you,” Euphemia herself suddenly said. Harry winced at her tone. He had never heard that tone come out of her mouth – he wasn’t even sure he could describe it. It was cold and detached in a way he didn’t expect from the usually warm woman. A quick glance showed James losing whatever color he usually had and Sirius bulk. “I have heard from others that some of your pranks are…untoward. I have stood up for you because I believed if you truly harmed someone, I would know about it. That I would be alerted. I did not think my son would do something to willingly harm another person.” She took a deep breath and stood, turning so she wasn’t facing either of the boys. Harry saw James hands begin to shake and the older boy quickly placed them under the table. “I cannot even begin to tell you how disappointed I am in the two of you. I thought that I had raised you better than to do something that harms another person because you believe it to be funny.” She sucked in another breath and shook her head. “I need some time to think. Fleamont, please do whatever you see fit. Charlus, Dorea,” she turned toward the two and bowed her head. James made a sound close to that of a wounded animal while Sirius ducked his head. “I am truly sorry my sons harmed yours. Please let us know what we can do to make up for the disgrace.”

Charlus seemed taken aback but nodded his head. Dorea inclined her own head before turning her eyes back on Sirius. After the confirmation, Euphemia slowly moved toward Harry. He swallowed hard, not knowing what was going to happen. He flinched as she raised her hand and instantly regretted it when he saw the heartbreak that crossed her face. “I am so sorry, my dear,” she said lowly, her hand slowly moving to cup his cheek. She gave him a small smile but it didn’t stop him from noticing the tears in her eyes. “You’ve already been through so much and we promised that you would be safe here. To know that you were harmed yet again and this time by our own…” she shook her head and a tear fell down her cheek. “Trust that it will not happen again.”

Harry couldn’t even respond before her hand fell away and Euphemia Potter walked out of the dining room with her head held high. She didn’t even glance back at her trembling son.

Chapter 17

Notes:

Sorry everyone. My health has been really not good. Kind of a short chapter to try and get back into things. Hope you enjoy.

Fleamont seemed completely flabbergasted as Euphemia walked out of the room and Dorea was quick to take charge. She excused herself and both boys from the room and ordered the two of them to follow her. Both of them did so with their heads hung low, neither even looking in Harry’s directions. Harry almost snorted in amusement at the sight but he couldn’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable as well.

 

It wasn’t as if he had done anything wrong. He hadn’t. He just…well, he wasn’t really sure what he was supposed to do now.

 

“Come on, then,” Caelum said brightly, as if the last half an hour hadn’t happened. He threw a friendly arm over Harry’s shoulders and steered him toward the family room. “Eileene said something about you and Archie building things earlier? Why don’t we get back to that. I’m sure the lad could use the fun.” Harry glanced at the sleeping toddler and grimaced. Yeah, he could use the fun after all of that.

 

And Harry wouldn’t mind knocking a few things down as well.

 

Harry didn’t see James or Sirius for the next few days but he knew it wasn’t going to last long. He was sure that he would be seeing the two of them on Christmas morning, no matter what was going on. Euphemia, who was slowly going back to her normal self (around Harry at least), was excited about his “first Christmas” as she kept calling it. Caelum had teased him that she was just as excited about his first Christmas with them as she had been with Archie the year before.

 

Harry could admit that he was excited as well. In a way, it was his first Christmas. Most of his others had been spent at the Dursley’s or at school – not counting this last one after the whole dream thing. He wasn’t going to admit that to anyone, though. It would just make everyone upset again. He didn’t need the looks either. The ones that Ron and Hermione had always given him when he mentioned his life before Hogwarts.

 

He woke up on Christmas morning to a very stubborn toddler crawling up his chest. Harry let out an oomph as Archie plopped his little bottom down on his ribs and stared at him intently. “Good morning to you too,” he muttered, his lips quirking up as he pulled his arms out from under the blankets and wrapped them around the now smiling babies waist.

 

“We’re ready for you to get up now,” Caelum stated from where he stood at the foot of Harry’s bed, a grin on his face as he watched his brother and son. “We’ve all waited long enough. We’re hungry.”

 

Harry blinked at the words. He had been waking later than usual this holiday but he didn’t think he had slept that late. A quick tempus showed him that he had slept later than he ever had before. He was surprised he had slept at all considering how excited he had been to spend Christmas with his family. “Well, better get to that, then,” he said, giving Archie a quick cuddle before handing him off to Caelum. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

 

After finishing his morning activities, Harry hurried into the dining area where the rest of his family was already waiting. They all cheered as he entered and he couldn’t stop the blush from spreading across his face. “Sorry,” he muttered as he slid into the chair that had become his own.

 

“No worries,” Charlus laughed. “We’re just glad you’re finally sleeping through the night.”

 

Harry grimaced at the reminder of when he first arrived. His nightmares about Cedric and Voldemort, as well as what could have been happening to his friends, had left him with many scream filled nights. He would have put up a silencing charm but Euphemia had refused, which had most of his family entering his room night after night to help calm him down. He was just lucky that it rarely happened now. He didn’t think the Slytherin’s would be so accommodating. Especially since his little spat with Regulus.

 

They started to eat, neither James nor Sirius saying anything to him beyond a “good morning.” Harry couldn’t really complain about that. They finished their (lavish) breakfast and moved into the larger family room. Harry wasn’t surprised to see a large amount of gifts under the tree. He had a feeling Euphemia in particular had wanted to make this Christmas special and was trying to make up for lost time. Not that she had anything to make up for.

 

“Now, they should all be separated out,” the woman in question said brightly as she fluttered around the group. “Eileene, Archie’s are over there next to your pile…right beside Caelum’s as well…” James and Sirius seemed to know exactly where to go as the plopped themselves down in front of their own piles on the right side of the room. Dorea and Charlus perched on the edge of the sofa, each with a pile of gifts on the side. Fleamont took his favorite chair. Euphemia’s own chair had a pile in front of it as well. Which meant the pile beside Caelum’s, on the other side of the room from James and Sirius, must have been Harry’s.

 

He was proven right when his ‘brother’ waved him over and motioned toward the gifts. He stared at the pile in slight amazement. He had received more gifts since he started at Hogwarts, it was hard to get less than what he got at the Dursley’s, but this was insane. He was sure even Dudley didn’t get this many. Hell, Malfoy probably didn’t get this many!

 

“We might have gone a bit over the top,” Caelum admitted when he saw Harry’s wide eyed look. “Sorry.”

 

He didn’t seem sorry, judging by the wide grin on his face. Harry just tried to grin back as he turned back to the gifts. Alright then. Might as well get started.

 

Harry opened gift after gift. Clothes, books, quidditch supplies, potions ingredients, even some jewelry…you name it, he got it. He was a bit overwhelmed by it all. James had even gotten him a book series that he had mentioned he wanted to Caelum. Sirius had given him some chocolate and a new set of quills. He even got a muggle book from Remus the other boy had been talking about. It was one of the last gifts that had him frowning in confusion. It was a small box and in it was a cuff bracelet with a familiar family crest. He blinked at it for a moment before turning toward Caelum. “Caelum? I have a question-“

 

He broke off when he saw his brothers eyes widen when they landed on the cuff. Just as quickly, his brows furrowed. “I thought you said you and Regulus weren’t speaking at the moment?” he questioned, his voice low as not to be overheard. Harry saw him glance toward Dorea as if checking to make sure that she was occupied. Harry took the hint and moved the cuff so as it wouldn’t be seen.

 

“We aren’t,” he muttered.

 

Caelum’s frown grew. “It’s basically a statement telling people that you’re under the protection of the house of Black. The thing is, Regulus shouldn’t really be able to make a decision like that. As far as I know, Sirius’s father is still the heir and Sirius is heir apparent. The two of them and Lord Black should be the only ones that could give that out.”

 

“Protection?” Harry muttered, glancing down at the cuff yet again. The last thing he thought of when he thought of the House of Black was protection.

 

Caelum shrugged and looked a little uncomfortable. “They’ve fallen out of style now but were popular about a hundred years ago or so. Some of the Lords gave them to people in lower families during war time to let others know they were under their protection. Some give them to friends. Some give them to…well, their intended.” His serious expression cracked for a moment when Harry’s cheeks warmed. “But again, I don’t know how Regulus got his hands on it or why he would send it to you. Best to ask him before you put it on. Especially since you don’t really know what you’re accepting.”

 

Harry nodded and thought back to this letter. Regulus had never responded to him and he didn’t want to test his luck by trying to send something else. He should probably ask Dorea if she had heard from the other boy at any point over break.

 

Everyone split up for a bit after that and Harry found himself once again playing with Archie and his new wizarding toys. He wondered if he had anything like this when he was little. He surely did. He probably really enjoyed it, too. Archie was having the time of his life with a toy broomstick that Eileene was not exactly thrilled about when James and Sirius stepped back into the room and made their way determinedly over toward him. He fought back a sigh. After his confusion over Regulus’s gift and just the overwhelming day in general, he wasn’t sure he was up for dealing with whatever it was that was going to happen next. Still, he looked up at the two when the they stopped in front of him. “Yes?”

 

“We’re sorry,” James blurted out, bowing his head and clasping his hands in front of him. Harry blinked, startled at the display. “I’m an idiot for…well, all of it. Mum’s right that none of the shit we did was funny. I guess I thought that as long as people laughed it was okay. I didn’t even know that you were really that hurt – Dumbledore just said you had a couple of bruises… not that it matters how hurt you were. Remus told us it was dumb but we didn’t listen to him. I was just angry about stupid stuff and…” he trailed off and shook his head. “None of that matters. You’re family, I’m an idiot, and I’m sorry.”

 

Harry stared at the teen, unsure of what to say. This was a very different apology than the one he had gotten at the begging of break. He was pretty sure that James actually meant it. But… “Are you sorry just because it was me? Or because someone got hurt?”

 

James lifted his head, a frown on his face. “What?”

 

“I mean, if it had been someone else that got hurt, would you still be sorry? Or are you only sorry because I’m family?”

 

James mouth opened, but snapped shut just a moment later. He frowned again. “I – I guess it’s because you’re family and I should have trusted you. But that’s not right, is it? It should be because someone was hurt. Which is what mum was trying to tell us.”

 

Harry sighed. “Yeah, alright. Fine. I forgive you or whatever. But you seriously need to think about your pranks and how they hurt people. Not all of them are funny and a lot of them are just bullying people.”

 

Sirius scowled at James side and Harry braced himself for an argument, but James just nodded his head and pursed his lips. His eyes had a hazy quality to them, as if he was replaying some of his memories and wasn’t liking what he saw. Maybe this was it. Sirius and Remus both said that James finally grew up during their seventh year. Harry had yet to see it happen and was doubting that it was going to happen at all but maybe…maybe this is one of the moments that he had been waiting for.

 

Of course, that didn’t make sense because Harry hadn’t been here in the original timeline for this moment to happen…

 

But maybe there had been something similar? Something that didn’t happen because Harry was here changing things?

 

He hated time travel.

Chapter 18

Harry stuck close to Caelum and Eileene the rest of the break. It wasn’t that he doubted James was sorry he just…didn’t really think he wanted to deal with it right at that moment. He figured he would see at Hogwarts whether the other boy really had changed in his thinking. He figured he’d know within a couple of weeks – he doubted James and Sirius would be able to hold out on ‘pranking’ Snape that long.

 

It wasn’t like it was a hardship. He had grown really close to his older ‘brother’ and his wife. Not to mention Archie. Harry often wondered what happened to the trio in his time. No one had ever mentioned them to him. Of course, no one had mentioned any of the Potters beyond his parents. Well, Sirius had said the Potters took him in but that was it. He had no idea what happened to his grandparents or Charlus and Dorea. He felt guilty that he had never asked. He had even seen Charlus and Dorea on the tapestry and hadn’t bothered. But Caelum and Archie…Archie should have only been a couple of years older than him. How had no one ever mentioned him? What had happened to his older cousin?

 

He was sure that he would never know. Well, he hoped he would never know. If they managed to stop whatever it was then Archie would grow up and Harry would never know what happened to his counterpart. He was fine with that.

 

Especially considering what the alternative would be.

 

“Alright, you all have everything?” Euphemia asked as she fretted over the three of them on the platform. “If you don’t, make sure you send us a letter so we can get it to you!”

 

“We know, mum,” James replied, shaking his head and pulling the older woman toward him in a tight hug. Harry smiled slightly when he saw just how tightly the woman hugged her son back. It had been a bit touch and go there for awhile after everything came out but the two seemed to have gotten over most of the issues. There had been a lot of one-on-one conversations that had happened over the last couple of weeks. Harry wasn’t sure what had happened in those and he knew it wasn’t any of his business, but whatever it was seemed to have worked for the moment.

 

Sirius and Dorea’s conversations didn’t seem to have gone as well.

 

The two were eyeing each other even now, neither willing to give in on whatever it was they were arguing about. Harry sighed at the two of them and caught Caelum’s eye. The older man shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. He pulled Harry into a hug. “Write us. We’ll miss you. Come home at Easter.”

 

Harry had never returned home for Easter break before. He was looking forward to it.

 

Eileene hugged him next and then he had Archie’s little arms wrapped around his neck and the small boy in his arms. Harry sighed and hugged the baby close. “Be good for your parents, alright? I’ll see you in a couple of months.” Archie squealed and Harry laughed before passing the baby back to his mother. “I guess we should go,” he muttered as the train whistle sounded for the third time. His family did another round of hugs (he seriously didn’t think he was ever going to get used to that) and then he hurried toward the train with James and Sirus right behind him. James said something about meeting with the prefects and Evans and disappeared. Sirius didn’t say anything as he pushed past Harry and went down the hall. Harry rolled his eyes and began to check the compartments, searching for a certain Black. He had the cuff in his pocket, not putting it on as Caelum suggested until he knew exactly what it was the other was proposing.

 

He was halfway down the train when he found Regulus – unfortunately, he was in a full compartment that included the future death eaters. Including Snape. “Oh,” Rowle smirked as he saw Harry standing in the doorway. “Regulus, your stalker is here.”

 

Harry’s face flushed at the words but Regulus didn’t even look his way as the others began to laugh. “Go away, Potter. We’re busy,” Rosier snarked as he waved a hand in Harry’s direction, like he was waving away a particularly annoying fly. “You’d think by now you would have realized your little…dalliance with Black is over. He had his fun but he’s where he’s supposed to be now.”

 

Harry’s shoulders tensed as the group whooped and laughed yet again, some of them making very suggestive gestures in his direction. He looked at Regulus again but the boy didn’t even bother to glanced in his direction. He just stared out the window as if there was nothing happening around him. Harry bit his tongue and turned on his heel, the cuff burning in his pocket. He decided he was going to toss it out the first chance he got. Maybe he’d chuck it out the window as they drove. He wasn’t sure why the hell Regulus had sent it to him in the first place. Maybe it was some sort of joke that Harry just wasn’t understanding. Maybe the entire group was behind it and they were just waiting for him to put it on so they could laugh about it later. He wouldn’t give them the chance.

 

Unfortunately, there didn’t seem to be any open compartments and Harry found himself stalking up and down train, trying to find somewhere to sit. He supposed he could force the first years to let him sit with them, but they had started at him in horror when he opened their door earlier. He supposed his reputation – or lack thereof – could probably hurt them within the house.

 

“Harry? Do you need somewhere to sit?”

 

Harry winced at the familiar voice. He turned a met a pair of soft amber eyes. “I – yeah. I guess.” Remus gave him a small smile and motioned for him to enter the compartment. Sirius rose an eyebrow when he saw Harry but he didn’t say anything. Peter sent that damn smirk in his direction. “Look at me like that again and I’ll rip that damn smirk off your face,” Harry growled at the smaller teen.

 

The smirk instantly fell and he let out a small yelp before looking at Sirius and Remus for support. Sirius just shrugged his shoulders and Remus sighed. Harry put his trunk away and then slid onto the bench beside Remus. “thanks for the book,” Harry said to the older teen. “You’re right. It was fun to read.”

 

Remus’s eyes lit up. “You read it? I found it fascinating.”

 

Sirius snorted and crossed his arms over his chest before turning to Peter and began talking about the quidditch match that had happened the day before. Harry ignored him. He had been better over the last few weeks but he could definitely say they weren’t friends. Remus rolled his eyes at Harry but the two just continued their conversation. Harry gave his own thoughts about the nook and then told Remus about the series that James had gotten him for Christmas. Remus was really interested and Harry promised to pass the books to him once he had finished.

 

“Oh, hey Harry,” James said as he entered the compartment. “Didn’t think I’d see you here.” Harry didn’t bother to respond to the words. What was he supposed to say? No one else wanted him to sit with them so he had to resort to sitting with a group of people that had been bullying him all year? His cousin dropped down beside him and instantly joined in with Sirius and Peter’s quidditch discussion.

 

Time went by quicker than Harry expected it to with the company he was keeping but he wasn’t going to complain. They arrived at Hogwarts and he slipped into the carriage beside the marauders, ignoring the eyes he felt on him. He heard the comments about him being around the Gryffindors again but figured it wouldn’t matter. It wasn’t as if he had anyone in Slytherin anyway.

 

He split off from the group when they entered the Great Hall and glanced at the Slytherin table. As usual, the sixth year spaces were completely full with everyone surrounding Regulus. Harry sighed and slid into the space he had occupied before break between the first and second years. So much for thinking anything would have changed over break.

Chapter 19

Notes:

Hey all, long time no see! Sorry about that. I have a chronic illness that makes it difficult for me to do...anything. I spend a lot of time in the hospital and I honestly don't realize how long it's been since i updated. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.

 

Harry was officially done.

 

It had been over a month of silence from most of the people within his own house. Oh, there were still the remarks and the occasional jinxes sent his way, not to mention the glares, but most of the Slytherin’s seemed to agree just to act as if he didn’t exist. Harry had started spending most of his time in the Room of Requirement just so he did not have to be in the house. He was considering going down to the Chamber and seeing if he could release the basilisk on a bunch of unsuspecting Slytherin’s but he figured that was a bit of a over reaction.

 

Maybe.

 

Harry was just fed up with all of it. James had actually been true to his word and seemed to be backing off ‘pranking’ people – not completely, but the more dangerous pranks had stopped. Sirius was sulking around the castle and glaring at Harry every chance he got. James acted exasperated with his best friend but would give Harry a huge grin and wave whenever he saw him in the corridor, which was just odd and did not help the Slytherin’s attitude. Peter was still an arse. Remus was the only person that Harry could even slightly stand at the moment and that was just because the other boy had actually sat and listened to Harry and his views on magic. They exchanged books often and discussed them in the library a coup-le days a week after dinner. Sometimes, James would tag along and listen to the two of them for a bit before growing bored and wandering away.

 

Regulus was still ignoring him.

 

Harry still had the cuff. He couldn’t explain why he didn’t throw it away. He should have. He really, really should have. But he didn’t. He kept it locked in his trunk – a trunk he now had many, many charms on to make sure none of his dormmates could break into it. Caelum had sent him a list when Harry asked, along with detailed instructions of how to use them. He hadn’t asked why Harry needed them. Harry had a feeling that he knew.

 

So, Harry moved around the school like one of the damn ghosts. There was a time when he would have paid to have people not pay attention to him, to just let him go about his day and leave him be. However, this was not what he wanted. He honestly did not give a damn about the other Slytherins. He shouldn’t care about Regulus and the bad decisions he was making. But he couldn’t help but think of Dorea and her face when she learned that Regulus had joined the Death Eaters. Of the look Sirius had, future Sirius, when he explained what had happened to his brother. As much as he did not want to admit it, Sirius had cared for him and he was upset about his brothers death.

 

Harry hated to admit that he would be upset as well.

 

He did not truly know what had happened between himself and Regulus. He was unsure what had made the other boy change so drastically. Or maybe he had not changed at all. Maybe the whispers he heard were correct and Regulus had just been playing some kind of game with him that was now over when he realized he could not get what he wanted from Harry.

 

Though, what that was, Harry had no idea.

 

But…but that still did not explain the cuff.

 

And it was driving Harry mad.

 

He still had one last play he could make. If it did not work, then he was sure he could obliviate Regulus and then he could finally let it go. He would wash his hands of the Black brother completely and just let him do what he was going to do.

 

It was reckless. It was something his family would absolutely not approve of. It was a completely Gryffindor move.

 

He was going to do it anyway.

 

He had it all planned and ready to go. The only thing he had to do was find a way to get Regulus to the Room of Requirement.

 

Harry waited until he was sure everyone was out of the dorm before he slowly took the cuff out of his trunk. Something inside him urged him to put it on his wrist but he pushed it down. Without knowing what Regulus intended, there was no way he was going to do that. Who knows, maybe Regulus had even found some way to poison him or something if he put it on. That would fall in line with the way he had been acting these couple of months. Harry sighed and slipped the cuff into the pocket of his robes, then stood and closed his trunk. He made sure to place the locking charms back in place. Last thing he needed was someone going through his things. They’d probably end up missing or destroyed.

 

He made his way to the Great Hall and slipped into his now normal seat at the end of the table. The second and first years left chars open on either side of him and they glanced at him from the corner of their eye before turning back to their conversations. Harry ignored them and filled his plate slowly. It was Saturday, which meant that the hall was emptier than usual. A little more than half the Ravenclaws were present, a good portion of the Hufflepuffs, almost none of the Gryffindors…but Slytherin? They were all there. It was clear that the entire dorm attended meals, even on weekends, on time. Sickness was the only exception. Of course, if Harry skipped, no one mentioned it. The fact that he was there was actually rare as of late. He had been taking his meals in the kitchen. At least there he had someone to talk to. The elves were more than happy to hold a conversation.

 

It was because of his recent absences that many of the other Slytherin’s were glancing at him. They were clearly trying not to be curious but more than one mask slipped when they noticed him. Many of the sixth and seventh years sneered. Regulus stared at him blankly for a moment before turning his attention away. Harry just continued to eat his breakfast, waiting for mail to appear.

 

He kept his face carefully blank when the owls finally swooped down, one landing right in front of him. He slowly moved to take the letter and gave the owl a piece of bacon. He then opened the letter slowly, knowing that he was receiving glances.

 

Harry,

Not sure what you’re planning, but here’s the letter you requested I send. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.

Your brother,

Caelum

 

Harry’s lips twitched up and he reached into his pocket and took out a letter. It was in heavy, cream parchment, trimmed in gold. He heard a few gasps around the table and inwardly smirked. This type of parchment was known to be used for courting contracts. He carefully rolled the letter up and tied it with a golden thread. More than one person was watching him now. It was an old custom. One that most of the Slytherin’s would know but likely not have seen. He then did the last step. He pulled out the cuff he had received from Regulus but made sure he placed his hand so the family seal was covered completely. Those watching would be able to see the cuff and it’s intentions, but they would have no idea that it belonged to the Black family. They would most likely think it was from the Potter household.

 

Regulus would know better.

 

Harry then slipped the cuff around the parchment and spelled it in place before tying the entire thing to the owl and letting it fly away.

 

And just like that, a new rumor was started.

 

Harry Potter was courting.

 

Harry calmly went back to his breakfast as whispers broke out. Harry almost laughed when he realized that it wasn’t just at the Slytherin table. He had apparently gotten the attention of many of the Ravenclaws and a few Hufflepuffs. He had a feeling the news would hit the Gryffindors by lunch. No doubt he would get a visit from James at some point.

 

The whispers and stares continued for the next few minutes as Harry finished his breakfast. He then stood and slowly made his way out of the hall and down the corridor. He moved slowly, fully aware that the moment he had stepped out of the room, someone had followed him. He made his way to the seventh floor and paced up and down the hall until a familiar door appeared. He slipped inside, then leaned against the wall and waited.

 

It did not take long for the door to slowly push open and one Regulus Black to step through, a red flush to his face and a furious look in his eye. Harry raised his own eyebrows at the lack of composure. “Looking a bit irritated there, Black. Something I can help you with?”

 

Regulus’s head whipped around to focus on him and he took a threatening step forward. “Where, exactly, did you send that?”

 

Harry shrugged. “Does it matter? It isn’t like it was doing me any good.”

 

Something flashed in Regulus’s eye and Harry folded his arms over his chest, his wand in hand. He looked relaxed but he was ready to move if Regulus so much as twitched. “You made it very clear that you don’t want anything to do with me. Then you send me that without any sort of explanation. When I tried to speak with you on the train, your guard dogs attacked and you didn’t bother to step in. I haven’t spoken to you in months. Why the hell would I keep it?”

 

Regulus’s muscles tensed. “If you did not intend to accept, it would be appropriate to return it. Not to send it to someone else.”

Harry shrugged. “Haven’t you heard? I’m a bastard, lowborn, dirty blooded gold-digger who was attempting to steal the Black fortune. Of course I would take a piece of the Black legacy and pass it off as my own.”

 

Regulus flushed and dropped his gaze. “That is not what I meant.”

 

“Then what did you mean? Why did you send it to me?”

 

Regulus’s lips pursed and Harry let out a sigh. He had known it was unlikely that he would get an answer. Instead, he turned to the object that he had placed in the corner of the room behind a screen so Regulus would not immediately notice it. “I’ll make you a deal,” Harry said firmly. “I have something to tell you. Something that will change everything. If you still want me to stay away from you after, I’ll do so. You’ll never have to deal with me again.” Regulus’s brows furrow. “If you don’t want to hear it, then I’ll give up now and just tell Dorea I tried.”

 

Regulus’s head jerked up. “Dorea?”

 

Harry shrugged. “She knows what I’m going to tell you. She most likely wont like the fact that you know, but I think it’s the only way to get through to you. If you see this and still make the choices you…well, then it was a lost cause, anyway.”

 

Regulus scowled. “You are not making any sense.”

 

Harry sighed and marched over to the screen. He pulled it back and revealed the pensieve that had been hidden behind it. Regulus eyes widened. “Watch the memories that I placed in the pensieve. If you still want to join the mini death eater brigade, then that’s your choice, but I’m not giving up without a fight.”

 

Regulus’s brows furrowed. “Why would your memories have anything to do with the Dark Lord?” He shook his head and looked toward the door. “You don’t understand what he is trying to accomplish. Our world – it’s dying. Magic is fading. The muggles and muggleborns-“

 

“Aren’t the cause,” Harry rolled his eyes. “Okay, maybe some of the traditions are disappearing because of muggleborns. I’ll give you that. But killing them is not the answer. Teaching them is. How would you feel to be thrown into a world you know nothing about and no one actually teaches you anything, they just expect you to know it? How do you know something you’ve never learned?”

 

Regulus scowled. “They could ask-“

 

“Who? Most of the purebloods refuse because muggleborns are beneath them. Some of the halfbloods know, but they have their own prejudices. There should be a system in place to help muggleborns learn traditions and basics before they come to Hogwarts, but no one seems to agree on what type of system that should be. Killing all muggles and muggleborns is insane and would never work.” Regulus looked like he was going to protest, and Harry motioned toward the pensieve. “Just watch. You can tell me I’m wrong after.”

 

Regulus rolled his eyes, letting go of his perfect pureblood mask, and moved to the pensieve. He hesitated for just a second before leaning over, and placing his face inside.

 

Harry let himself relax and he fell against the sofa the room conjured. He eyed Regulus warily. He was not sure how long it would take. He had probably put too much in there, but he wanted to be thorough. Wanted Regulus to actually understand what he had been trying to say.

 

And he wanted him to realize just what his blood-obsession had done to him and to the rest of the Black family.

 

So, Harry waited. He shifted on the sofa multiple times, not able to find a comfortable position. He tried working on his homework. He pulled out the latest book Remus and let him borrow. He even asked the room for a practice snitch. It didn’t matter, he kept finding himself eyeing Regulus and wondering just what he was watching in that moment.

 

He could have joined him.

 

He just…did not want to watch it again. It was bad enough he had to think of all the memories to put them in the pensieve in the first place.

 

Finally, there was a gasp and Regulus stepped back, his eyes wide and face pale. Harry slowly stood, his hand gripping his wand. He did not know what the other boys reaction was going to be, but if he ended up attacking, Harry would be ready.

 

“What. The. Fuck.”

 

 

Chapter 20

Notes:

Back again! Thanks for those that are still following along with this story. So many of you said you reread it. I'm thankful there are people willing to do so! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Harry couldn’t stop the snort that escaped when he saw Regulus Black completely lose composure for the first time.

 

The boy had wide, slightly terrified eyes. His skin was an even paler shade than usual but there were bright, red splotches on his cheeks. He was actually shaking. Harry instantly felt bad for laughing. “You alright?”

 

Regulus’s eyes narrowed. “Am I alright? Of course I’m not! You – you’re not from…time…do you have any idea how much trouble you would be in if anyone found out? What they would do to you? Especially since you have actually told people! Then there’s what has happened to our world in just a few years… and the dark lord…”

 

“Voldemort,” Harry cut in. “Or Tom, if you must. Don’t call him by that moniker. He doesn’t deserve it.”

 

Regulus’s face flushed even further and he practically collapsed into the chair that appeared behind him. Ooh, nice. Score one for the Room of Requirement. “He’s a half-blood.”

 

“Sure is.”

 

“How did he…”

 

Harry titled his head. “He played the game.” Regulus frowned and Harry sighed, leaning forward on the sofa and staring Regulus down. “Look, I don’t know this for certain. Most of it is just what I’ve been able to piece together. It probably would have never even entered my head if I hadn’t ended up here. I’ve learned a lot of things in this time that are…not taught back home. Look at the way muggleborns are treated in Slytherin,” Harry thought to the small group of kids that were forced to sit at the end of the table, who were never spoken to, who were treated like they were worthless. “Riddle was one of them until he figured out that he was a descendent of Slytherin. Then he used that to get others to follow him. Dorea and Charlus told me about their time in school – how Riddle ended up with all these people around him after he found out. He used that. He knew how the purebloods felt about muggles and muggleborns and was able to use that information to put himself in a place of power.”

 

Regulus’s eyebrows furrowed. “You do not think he believes it?”

 

Harry sighed. “He might believe some of it. But you saw that one memory, right? The one where he was asking to stay at Hogwarts over the holiday and not go back to the orphanage?” Regulus nodded. “Yeah, muggle orphanages were not a good place. They really wouldn’t have been for a child with accidental magic. Then I remembered exactly when Riddle went to school. It was during World War II.” Another confused glance. Harry grimaced and gave a brief muggle history lesson. Regulus looked more and more horrified as Harry explained how a muggle had risen to power and turned against specific groups of people, manipulating those around him to the point that they were committing genocide. He looked even worse when Harry explained about the bombings  - and then about Hiroshima.

 

“That’s why you said we would not win in a fight against muggles.”

 

Harry nodded. “We have magic that protects us, but it’s all  based on them not knowing where to look. The technology they have is growing by the day. Soon, our magic might not be enough to keep us hidden. And just one of those bombs could destroy Diagon Alley, or Hogsmeade. Or Hogwarts.”

 

“Then surely you agree that something has to be done!”

 

“Bringing attention to ourselves by attacking them is not going to work! They outnumber us by millions! Finding a way to completely separate the two worlds and bringing in muggleborns early makes more sense! And finding a better way to keep those that know about magic from being able to tell about it. Killing them, fighting each other…that’s just making things worse. We’re losing numbers in this war. Numbers that we would desperately need. You saw how many kids were in my year at Hogwarts, right?” Regulus frowned but nodded his head. “Compare it to how many there are now in a year. That’s because of how many families were wiped out during this war. With another war, more fighting…can you imagine how many there would be?”

 

Regulus’s jaw tightened and he stared somewhere over Harry’s shoulder. “Sirius said that I joined him. That I joined and ran away.”

 

Harry sighed. “I – yeah, he did. But he didn’t know for sure what had happened. That’s just what he heard.”

 

Regulus’s shoulders were tense as he turned toward Harry fully. “An unbreakable vow.”

 

Harry blinked at the sudden change in topic. “What?”

 

“I’ll do an unbreakable vow not to discuss this information, or any information that you have shown me, to anyone that does not know your secret. And, in return, I’ll give you my own.”

 

Harry leaned back and tilted his head. On one hand, that was a better outcome than Regulus refusing to believe him and Harry having to test his obliviation skills. On the other, it wasn’t a flat out ‘okay, I won’t be a death eater,’ like he had secretly hoped. Plus, he was curious. What kind of secret did Regulus have that would be somewhat equal to what Harry had shared?

 

“Fine.”

 

Regulus pushed himself to his feet and held out his arm. Harry grasped it and Regulus held out his wand. Harry mimicked the position. “I, Regulus Acturus Black, hereby swear that I will not share any of the information Harry Charlus Potter has given me on this night. I will not be able to speak, write, or transfer the knowledge in any way. The only people such information can be discussed with are those that already know the situation. Mote it be.” There was a flash of gold light and then Regulus pursed his lips and motioned for Harry.

 

“Uh, I, Harry Charlus Potter, hereby swear to not speak of the information revealed to me by Regulus Acturus Black on this night. I may only discuss it with those that already know of the situation. So mote it be.”

 

Another flash of light and then Regulus was nodding and stepping back yet again. He slowly sank down in the chair he had vacated only moments before and went back to staring at the wall. Harry sat on the sofa, not taking his eyes off of the other boy. It took some time, but finally, Regulus began to speak.

 

“I am not sure the first time I noticed. Maybe a few years ago? Yes, that seems right. It was during one of mothers more…violent episodes. She was using a favorite curse of hers against Sirius.” Regulus’s voice broke slightly. “I was, as usual, trying to get her to see reason but I could never do much before she would turn her wand on me. In most cases, I would ask father to step in. He would, but only at the last minute. I always despised him for that.” Regulus’s jaw clenched. “On this occasion, I was asking father to step in but he just said that mother was in charge of punishments. It’s the same thing he always says. The exact same wording. Walburga is in charge of all punishments of the children. No names. No emotion. Just those words. This time…this time it was close and I saw fathers fingers…twitch. Like he was trying to reach for his wand but he could not get to it. It was only a second, but I knew I saw it. After that, I paid careful attention. I noticed certain things. Father had always been…aloof, I suppose. Stoic. Uncle Alfred told us he was different before he married mother. He had not wanted to, but our great-grandfather had been head of the family at the time and had set up the match. Uncle said something changed in father the day he and mother were married.” Regulus paused and let out a deep breath. “I became…suspicious, I suppose. Kreacher,” he shot Harry a look that had Harry ducking his head. His memories had not been kind to Kreacher. “has always been kind to me. I would sometimes join him in the kitchen, when I could get away with it. I remember asking him once when I was young why he always placed a potion in father’s food. Kreacher said it was a special potion from mother to keep father happy. I was young. I did not understand what that meant and I honestly forgot about it until recently.”

 

Harry tilted his head and furrowed his brow. “Are…are you saying your mother is drugging your father?”

 

Regulus’s lips hitched up. “I was unsure until this summer. After the incident with Sirius, I noticed father seemed…different than he was previously. I was in the library one afternoon and he appeared. He sat beside me and it seemed as if he was trying to say something, but the words would not come out. But he was able to pull a book off the shelf before he left. It was a…potions book. One of dark magics.” Regulus eyed Harry, but Harry just nodded. Not really a surprise the Black family would have a book like that. “I read through it and came across a certain potion. A compliance potion. It is basically a liquid form of the imperious curse.” Harry sucked in a deep breath. “For it to work, you have to sign a contract that is doused in the potion, then use the potion on the recipient. In doing so, the recipient can not fight against what is written within the contract. Apparently, one of my ancestors used it to control their spouse. Another used it to do…unspeakable things.”

 

“And you think your mother used it on your father?”

 

“I confirmed it,” Regulus said. “This past summer. However, I have yet been able to find a way to reverse it. I was hoping that I could speak to some of the other families to see if they had any type of information regarding the potion, though I am afraid that it is just a Black family invention. However, there is a possibility that one of the other dark families have found a counter, just in case a Black decides to use it on them. Additionally, if one of them does not have such information, there are many within the ranks that have high potion abilities that might be able to create what I need.”

 

“And that’s why you’ve been hanging out with the mine death eaters?”

 

Regulus hesitated. “I will not lie to you. I do…did…believe in many of the things the dark lo – Riddle is saying. However, your memories and thoughts on the matter are compelling. My cousin, Bellatrix,” he gave Harry a look and Harry shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t going to apologize for showing Regulus the brief interaction he had with the crazy witch. “Speaks very fondly of such. Which was yet another issue that was brought to my attention this summer.”

 

“What’s that?”

 

Regulus sucked in a breath. “My mother felt that it was…distasteful that her brother’s daughters were closer to the…to Riddle than the heir of the Black family.  Bellatrix has quickly worked her way into his trust and my cousin Narcissa is the wife of another prominent figure.” Again, he shot Harry a look. Harry grinned at that one. Lucius Malfoy was a prat and Harry was in no way going to say otherwise. “She has had Bellatrix inform him that one of the Black heirs will be joining him. One of, Harry.” It took Harry a moment to understand what Regulus meant by that.

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yes,” Regulus sighed. “My brother managed to get out of the house, but he is still tied to the Black family. No matter how much he pretends he is not. In your memory, he said that mother disinherited him and blasted him off the tree. That’s true. But mother does not have the power to remove him from the family, or even remove his title as heir apparent. That alone lies with the head of the family, which is my grandfather. And, despite what Sirius thinks, he has always been grandfathers favorite.”

 

“Alright,” Harry said, his mind whirling with that information. “But that doesn’t mean anything. There’s no way Sirius would join.”

 

Regulus’s brows rose. “Are you sure? What if someone he loved was threatened? Such as Potter or that werewolf?”

Harry jolted. “You-“

 

Regulus gave him a scathing look. “Do not be obtuse. Of course I know.” He shook his head. “Suppose mother brought him a contract that said he had to fulfill promises made by the lady of the family and in exchange, she would not declare a blood feud against the House of Potter?”

 

“She couldn’t-“

 

“Sirius is heir. He was not yet seventeen when he left the house and went to the Potters. By sheltering him and not speaking with the Black family, they would be within their right to claim he had been taken against his will. If such a thing occurred, mother could use the potion she has father on to force him to join. Or she could use some other tactic I have not thought of. However, it would be a greater benefit for her if I was the one to join.”

 

“Why’s that?”

 

“Because she does not think I would need a potion to do so,” Regulus said bluntly. “It would be very obvious if Sirius suddenly turned pro Slytherin. It would get people looking very closely. It would get grandfather looking closely. She would not want that.”

 

“So you’re just going to join, then? Even after all of this?” Harry demanded, something like dread building in his chest. He had hoped, really hoped, that he could save Regulus Black. Thinking that he would not be able to was almost enough to send him into a fit and made his chest ache.

 

But Regulus shook his head. “I do believe that I need to rethink my strategy. It seems that my plan fails in the future. Not only did I not get father out of mothers control, he dies shortly after I do. Then there is the fact that I die, for reasons unknown by people unknown. I would like to make it to my twentieth birthday.”

 

Harry swayed. He was so relieved by those words, he might actually pass out. “You know, there are other potion masters that might be able to help. Fleamont, for example. The Potters are known for creating potions.” Regulus blinked, seeming to be startled by this information.

 

“I…yes. I had forgotten. Your family has invented many potions over the years.”

 

“Yes,” Harry agreed, a grin spreading across his face. “And I’m sure Dorea would be very happy to help as well. She’s not exactly happy with you at the moment.”

 

Regulus flinched. “I – can understand that.” He cleared his throat and stood. “Alright, I suppose that is enough for tonight. I will have to play this out so they do not get suspicious, but I will…separate myself from the…what did you call them? Mini death eaters?”

 

“Great,” Harry agreed, not bothering to stand. He was going to stay there a bit longer, just so he could relax before he had to go back to the common room and hope he didn’t get hexed. Regulus paused, as if waiting for him, but Harry waved him away. Regulus nodded and moved toward the door before Harry remembered something. “Hey.” Regulus paused. “The cuff. Why did you send it? And how did you get it if Sirius is still heir?”

 

Regulus’s shoulders tightened. Harry wished he had asked when he was able to see the others face, instead of just his back. “I explained to grandfather that I had a friend in Slytherin that I was concerned about. He told me I could send it so others in the house would know you were under my protection.”

 

Harry’s brows furrowed. “That…makes no sense. You were very obvious that you wanted nothing to do with me. Why would anyone think that you sent it?”

 

“They would not think it was me,” Regulus sighed. “As you stated, they would believe it came from the heir. They would think it was Sirius that sent it.”

 

Harry paled and felt slightly queasy. “You wanted people to think I had a bonding cuff with Sirius?”  

 

Regulus still did not turn around. “It was to make sure you were not…harmed. They could believed what they wanted to believe. You and I would both know that it was I who sent it.”

 

There was a moment of silence as Harry processed the words. No matter how many times he turned it over in his head, they just didn’t make sense. “So…that’s it then? It was just for protection while we were in school?”

 

If possible, Regulus’s shoulders tensed even further. “Of course. Have a good night, Harry. I shall see you in our dorm.”

 

Harry didn’t have a chance to protest before Regulus was out the door, closing it with a soft click behind him.

Chapter 21

Notes:

New chapter! sorry for the wait - as usual, my health sucks and I had some issues the last few weeks.

I am going to tell you guys that this is taking a turn from my original outline. There are plotlines coming out that were not planned, so I really hope I'm not writing myself into a corner! lol. I hope you guys enjoy!

Harry had to admit that he was…almost surprised that Regulus kept his word. Over the next couple of weeks, the other teen slowly distanced himself from the mini death eaters, much to the confusion and anger of the boys in question. Harry had walked in on more than one heated conversation that had him wrapping his hand around his wand in preparation to step in if one of them ended up attacking Regulus. It never seemed to get that far and they were quick to cut off the conversation as soon as Harry was in the room, but it was clear that there was going to be some sort of confrontation at some point.

Regulus was also true to his word that he did not spend his new found time with Harry. Harry was still shuffled to the end of the table but his old seat that had been taken by Damocles was now vacant. The look Regulus sent anyone that attempted to take it had them all backing off quickly. Regulus still ruled their year, no one had attempted to take the spot as of yet, but the position of his most trusted was now up for grabs…but Regulus clearly had not decided who was going to fill that role.

 

It did not help that Sirius had taken to staring at his younger brother more often than not.

 

It was Harry’s fault. After his conversation with Regulus he had felt a little…raw? Vindictive? He wasn’t really sure what to call the feeling that had raced through his veins when he realized Regulus had given him the cuff so people would think he was under Sirius’s protection. The feeling just intensified throughout the night. The next day, Harry found himself marching up to the older Black brother and forcing him into one of the side passages. Sirius had seemed amused at first, James following behind them and demanding to know what Harry was doing.

 

“I mean, this is a little suspicious, cousin. You aren’t the first to pull Sirius into an empty corridor or room or closet…but I really did expect better…”

 

Harry’s face had flushed and he sent a glare at James before turning back to Sirius once more. Sirius was smirking at him, completely amused by the situation, and raised an eyebrow when Harry looked at him. “If you’re going to confess-“

 

“Shut up,” Harry had snapped, reaching into his pocket and grabbing the item that had been there since Christmas morning. He grasped it tightly before shoving it against Sirius’s chest. Sirius reached up and grabbed it on instinct before actually looking down to see what it was. His brows furrowed instantly.

 

“How in Merlin’s name did you get this?”

 

James had moved closer at the question and peered over Sirius’s shoulder. “What is it?”

 

Sirius showed the item to James and the Potter boy yelped. “What – why do you have a Black bonding cuff? Wait, is that the cuff you had that everyone was talking about? But they said it was a Potter…”

 

Harry rolled his eyes. “How would I get the Potter bonding cuff? I’m not heir.”

 

“Well, mum and dad are fond of you. IF you asked…”

 

“Who would I be bonding to, James?”

 

“I don’t know! I was going to ask you yesterday but I couldn’t find you! And now with Sirius…”

 

“I’m not bonding to Sirius!”

 

“Oi!” Sirius snapped, but he did not look up from the cuff. “Alright, I’ll play. How did you get this?”

 

Harry huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Your dear brother got the brilliant idea to ask your grandfather for it. He sent it to me on Christmas.”

 

James and Sirius both blinked at him, both clearly thinking the same thing as Harry. None of that made sense. “Uh….you two haven’t exactly been close lately,” James said, more delicately than Harry expected him to. “Why would he send that to you?”

 

Harry threw up his hands. “Exactly! He said that he thought I needed the protection, so if someone saw the Black insignia, they’d leave me alone. Only problem is that, as you pointed out, Regulus and I haven’t really been friends lately. Not to mention, Sirius is still heir. So, he figured if I wore it then people would think I was under Sirius’s protection.”

 

“I – what?!”

 

“See? Stupid!”

 

“Why would I do that? Plus, dear old mum disinherited me-“

 

“Oh,” Harry frowned. “Regulus said your mum didn’t have the power to actually remove you from the family. You’re still technically heir? He said there is no way your grandfather would disinherit you because you’re his favorite.”

 

Sirius looked completely gob smacked at the words coming out of Harry’s mouth. He blinked frantically for a few seconds before forcefully shaking his head. “I – yeah, alright. Okay. That….okay. But this…” he looked at the cuff again, his hand tightening around it to the point that his fingers were completely white. “I need to think.” He turned and walked away before Harry could say another word. James shuffled closer to Harry, his eyes following Sirius until he was out of sight. Harry had been surprised to see his face was completely blank.

 

“Lot to unpack there, cousin. Best to let him be for a bit.”

 

Since then, Sirius had been watching Regulus closely. It was a good thing that Regulus wasn’t spending much time with Harry, because the few moments they did spend together usually had Regulus questioning Harry if he knew what was going on. Harry just did what he could to avoid the question. He didn’t want to outright lie about what had happened but he had a feeling Regulus wouldn’t appreciate his actions.

 

It was almost two weeks after his and Regulus’s conversation when a beautiful eagle owl swooped down in front of Sirius. Harry saw Regulus freeze from where he was sitting, his eyes fixated on the scene. Harry frowned and watched as Sirius took the letter from the owl calmly, then fed it a piece of bacon. The owl took it quickly before jumping back in the air – and heading straight for Regulus. Regulus’s jaw clenched as he took what appeared to be a second letter. The owl gave him a disapproving look before taking off.

 

Harry’s eyes shifted between Sirius and Regulus. Sirius had, surprisingly, opened the letter and was reading silently. James was sitting at his side, watching him closely. When Sirius stopped reading, he turned to James and said something so quietly that James had to lean in to hear him. Harry saw James frown but he nodded his head before responding.

 

Regulus, on the other hand, did not open the letter at all. Instead, he slipped it into his pocket and went back to eating his breakfast as if nothing had happened. The other sixth years were obviously waiting for him to say something, but Regulus was clearly not going to do so. Instead, he sent each of them a look that had everyone turning their attention back to their own food and conversations. Slowly, very slowly, his eyes moved down the table until they landed on Harry. His brow twitched. Harry sighed and finished his own meal quickly so he could get to class.

 

It was later that night that Harry actually learned what was in the letter. He had, like usual, gone to the Room of Requirement after class so he wouldn’t have to spend time in the dorms. He was in the middle of his potions essay when the door opened. Harry jumped to his feet, his hand on his wand, but it was only Regulus. He sighed and sank back down on the sofa. He should have known. There were very few people that the room would have let in to see him, and even fewer that knew the room existed at all.

 

“My grandfather has requested my presence this weekend. Sirius’s as well,” Regulus said bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest as the door closed behind him. “Something you need to tell me?”

 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Not really. I returned the cuff to Sirius. He took it from there.”

 

Regulus jerked slightly. “You did what? Why would you do that?”

 

“I didn’t want it,” Harry responded, turning back to his essay and acting as if he was actually working on it. As if he could actually focus on it at this moment.

 

“It was to protect you!”

 

“I don’t need the protection,” Harry said simply, scratching out the sentence he had just written. He was pretty sure that wasn’t even about potions, anyway.

 

“You do! Do you have any idea how many Slytherin’s find you to be…”

 

Harry looked up, “to be?”

 

Regulus grimaced. “I did not do you any favors by...letting you be close to me when you started here. Then the fact that you aren’t pureblood and are believed to be born…to Charlus and not Dorea…and you obviously do not conform to the social conventions that are considered to be proper. There are many that would gladly do you harm. Especially the ‘mini death eaters,’ as you call them.”

 

“I can take care of myself,” Harry responded. “You’ve seen that.”

 

Regulus’s expression tightened. “You should not have to! I understand that it was required in your previous…position, but here, now, things are different. You’re willing to let the Potter’s help you. Why am I different?”

 

All at once, the rage Harry had been pushing down flooded his chest. He tried to hold it back, tried to press it back down, but it refused to move. Instead, it seemed to fill his veins and the words escaped before he could stop them. “Because it wasn’t you! You wanted to put that on Sirius and hadn’t even talked to him! What would have happened if someone did do something? Then it would be expected for Sirius to take action and he wouldn’t know what was going on!”

 

Regulus rolled his eyes. “No one would have done anything if you were wearing it. Sirius would never have needed to step in.”

 

“You don’t know that!”

 

“I do. If it came to that, I would have stepped in.”

 

Harry scoffed. “Right. After the way you acted when you were cozying up to the little death gang, there’s no way I believe that.”

 

Regulus’s eyes narrowed. “Believe what you want.” He turned on his heel and pulled the door open. “I will not tolerate someone harming you, cuff or not. Though all you did is make things more difficult. I’ll see you back at the dorms.”

 

Harry threw his quill down in frustration as the door slammed shut. Why was Regulus Black so frustrating? And what did that even mean? And why was Sirius and Regulus’s grandfather wanting to meet with them? Had Sirius done something? Harry sighed and grabbed his potions essay. He wasn’t going to get anything else done tonight. Not until he gone answers to something. For the hundredth time, he wished that he had the map. He wondered when it was confiscated – if Filch already had it, maybe he could get it. He knew that his father and his friends lost it before they graduated… that was only a few months away. Maybe it was already gone.

 

Either way, he was going to get it before he started his own seventh year. He had forgotten how difficult it was to get around the school undetected without it. And then there were moments like this. How was he going to locate Sirius? He supposed he could go to the Gryffindor common room and wait for someone to come out. They could let him know if Sirius was in there. Of course, then he’d have to explain how he knew where the common room was. Or he could wait until dinner and follow him out…

 

Harry sighed and placed the essay in his bag before leaving the room of requirement. He could go to the library. Remus might be there and he would probably know how to locate Sirius. Mind made up, Harry started toward the library. He was about halfway there when he heard his name being called. He turned and couldn’t help the snort that escaped when he saw James running toward him, a wide grin on his face. His eyes were bright and there were bright red splotches on his cheeks. He looked unbelievably happy and slightly dazed. “What happened to you?” Harry asked, a smile tugging at his own lips.

 

“She said yes!”

 

“…sorry?”

 

“Evans! I decided this was it, the last time I would ask. I asked her to go to Hogsmeade on Valentines Day. She said yes.”

 

Oh. Oh, right. His mum and dad had gotten together in their seventh year. He hadn’t realized it had been so late in the year. “That’s brilliant, James. Congratulations!”

 

“Thanks! Let’s just hope I don’t bungle it completely!” James let out a self-conscious laugh and ran a hand through his hair. “I just – I don’t know. I just had this urge to tell you.”

 

Warmth flooded Harry. “Well, I think it’s great. Evans is a great person.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, she is.” He suddenly looked embarrassed. “Sorry. I just…yeah. I can’t believe she actually agreed. Especially after what a complete arse I was before Christmas.” His smile fell and he stared at Harry intently. “I really am sorry for all of that. Someone should have sorted me out a long time ago. I’m sorry it had to be you.”

 

“OH,” Harry blinked, not sure what to say. “I…yeah. I had noticed a lack of pranks the last few weeks.”

 

James flushed. “Yeah, well, I learned that my pranks weren’t really as great as I thought they were. Plus, they were costing me more than I was willing to give.” He cleared his throat and glanced down at his wrist watch. “Shit. For some reason, Dumbledore wanted to talk to a group of us. I’m going to be late.”

 

“Better hurry then,” Harry started, but then it hit. A group…Dumbledore wanted to speak to a group of them… “Wait. Uh, a group? Like, only seventh years?”

 

James looked confused. “Uh, yeah? Me, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lily, Marlene, Alice, Frank…a few others, I think. None of your Slytherin – no, wait, Dorcus…”

 

Harry knew those names. At least some of them. He knew what Dumbledore wanted. He couldn’t let it happen. They couldn’t. “Don’t.”

 

“Sorry?”

 

“I – I mean, go to the meeting but don’t do anything. Promise me you wont agree to anything. Not until you talk to your parents.”

 

“what? What are you-“

 

“Just promise! I can’t say why, not yet, but promise me you won’t join until you talk to them. And don’t let the others either!”

 

“Join?”

 

“James!”

 

“Alright,” James said, placing his hands on Harry’s shoulders and holding tight. It was only then that Harry realized he was shaking. “Take a breath for me, alright? I don’t know what’s going on, but I won’t do anything...join anything…until I talk to mum and dad. Alright? And I’ll tell the others to wait as well.” Harry nodded, sucking in a deep breath and closing his eyes tightly. James squeezed his shoulders once more before he dropped his hands. “I do need to go, though. Especially if I need to talk to them before the meeting starts. You alright?” Harry nodded. James didn’t seem convinced but he sighed and headed down the corridor.

 

Harry stared after him. Dumbledore had was still recruiting them. How had he forgotten about that? They couldn’t keep putting off on telling James what was going on. Not when Harry knew he and the others would eventually get involved, no matter how much they were told not to. Plus, now that he had told Regulus the truth, it seemed a bit unfair not to let James and Sirius know as well. At least some of it. But it wasn’t his call. Not really.

 

He just hoped his grandparents wouldn’t be too upset with him when James contacted them.