Timely Undertaking
A Harry Potter Fan Fiction
Chapter two
August 31st 1976 was a sunny Tuesday. All the teachers were back in the castle, planning for the next day's start to the upcoming school year. Minerva McGonagall decided that today she would finish her planning outside by the lake. She was finishing her seventh year's syllabi when a young boy literally fell in front of her.
"What in the world?" Sitting her work down on the large bolder that she had been sitting on and went to the small figure. She carefully turned the figure onto its back trying to get a good look at the teen.
"James?" She questioned not sure why one of her Gryffindors was lying before her unconscious. Minerva casted a Mobiliarbus charm on the boy before she rushed the child up to the Infirmary, her work lay forgotten.
"Poppy!" She bellowed as she slammed the large oak doors open.
"What is it, Minerva?"
Minerva continued to levitate the boy and placed him gently onto one of the cots.
"Oh my!" Poppy gasped as she came out of her office. Quickly, she started casting tests. She gasped once more at the readings.
"Minerva, I need you to go into my store and grab the Skele-Gro, a Blood-Replenishing potion, Bruise Removal Paste, and a 130 Nutrient Potion."
Minerva ran to the store room and grabbed the needed potions. Coming back, she noticed that Poppy had the young man's robes off leaving him in his boxers for Minerva's sake. McGonagall handed the potions over to Poppy.
"Thank you. Do you mind fetching Albus?"
McGonagall nodded her head and went to fetch the Headmaster.
"Let's see if we can get you fixed up here Mr. Potter." Poppy took the silence as consent before she began applying the necessary pastes, and coerced the different potions down the boy's throat. To be certain the mediwitch ran the basic scans one more time, checking the teen's weight and height.
"This is odd. I know for a fact that the last time I scanned him last term that James potter is five foot eleven inches not the five foot three inches this child measures. More so, the last time he was here James Harry Potter weighed 170 pounds, not just over 105." Poppy scrunched up her eyebrows in confusion. "If you're not James Potter, than who are you, young man?"
Harry attempted to open his eyes but the familiar shining light of the Infirmary made him scrunch his eyes closed. Slowly opening them once more, he noticed that everything was blurry.
Fate must find it as a sick joke. He concluded.
"Oh, you're awake." The familiar voice of the school mediwitch hit his ears.
He slowly sat up to greet her. "Hi Madame Pomfrey."
"You apparently know me, but I haven't a clue just who you are. When you were unconscious I thought you were young Mr. Potter, but…"
Harry furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean…" he cut himself off and looked around the Infirmary.
There were small details that were different than what he was used to. A couple of the portraits were in different places and he could tell the cots were arranged differently. Harry did not like at all.
"Do you mind telling me the date, Madame Pomfrey?"
Poppy raised her eyebrow before answering. Right before she did though, two figures came through the large oak doors. "August 31st of the year 1976."
Harry groaned his brain putting the pieces together quickly.
"But that's…" his brain made his mouth shut up when he realized that he had said the beginning of something genuinely impossible out loud.
Albus stared at the boy who was sitting up on the cot with interest. "If you don't mind me asking, but what is your name, boy?"Harry winced at the term.
Not Harry Potter … there was no way that Harry could get away with using his true name in the time his parents went to school. Still the young man answered with what he construed as what one outside of his normal world could consider as the truth nonetheless, "Harry Evans sir."
"Are you of any relation to a Lily Evans who is your age approximately?"
"None that I know of, sir." That could be the truth, after all, how could Harry be sure that this Lily would become his mum and later die to save him? He'd have to find a way to stop the war so that event wouldn't happen.
Albus looked thoughtful. "You are obviously a wizard, and a powerful one at that. I must say that you're aura is extremely intoxicating. Do tell why you are here and how you came to land before the feet of my Deputy?"
Harry bit his lip and avoided his eyes. Think, what am I going to tell him?
"Well sir, I was wondering if I could enroll to start my sixth year."
"Pray tell why you weren't originally a student?" Albus' eyes didn't hold the usual sparkle.
"My parents died when I was a baby and I went to live with my mother's sister. Just before my tenth birthday, my godfather found me and I went to go live with him." Harry gulped attempting not to shed any more tears for Sirius. "But just recently he was killed so I had to go back to my mother's sister. Then we were attacked and somehow I ended up here."
Albus nodded his twinkle returning to his blue eyes.
"Well then Mr. Evans, Welcome to Hogwarts. Surprisingly school starts tomorrow, so if Poppy gives the okay, you might want to get to know the castle a bit. I'll have a house-elf available to you if you decide to go wondering, in case you get lost."
Albus and Minerva both left through the doors. Harry was about to get up as well, but Poppy held him down.
"Not so fast." She said sternly. "I have a bone to pick with you."
"What do you mean ma'am?"
"You do know what I found I am assuming giving you are on the edge of running from me."
Harry involuntarily gulped.
"Mr. Evans, Harry, did someone abuse you?" Harry looked away not wanting to meet the Mediwitch's eyes.
"Harry," Madame Pomfrey hesitantly took a swallow before pushing onwards, "Was it your godfather?"
"No! He would never touch me." Harry cried.
"Then who?" She touched his arm gently.
He reared back, "It doesn't matter."
Harry got off the cot and headed through the doors wincing from the newly healed bones. Quickly as he could manage, he made his way out to the pitch and sat down in the stands holding his head. Once he was certain no one was around, Harry silently sobbed.
A couple of hours later Harry was sleeping in the arms of the Games Keeper Hagrid as he carried the boy back to the Infirmary where Poppy was sitting in a chair waiting with a forgotten book in her lap.
"I found t'is tike up in t'e stands Mademe Pomfrey. I 'riginally toug' t'at it was James Potter, but once I got a good look a' hem, he wasn'." Poppy nodded in understanding as Hagrid gently put the boy back onto a cot.
"Thank you Hagrid." He nodded before he strolled out of the Infirmary.
Poppy shook her head while running some scans once more. "Well Mr. Evans, what shall we do with you?"
Harry slept the rest of the night and didn't wake up until the next morning. Poppy slowly shook him awake.
"Good morning Mr. Evans." She said politely.
Rubbing his eyes in an attempt to rid the sleep from them, Harry sat up in the cot and rolled his shoulders to get them back into place. He winced a bit, he could feel that his gashes had been healed.
"Madame Pomfrey, how did I get here?"
"Hagrid brought you in."
Harry nodded simply. "Um, I don't mean to be rude, but I need supplies for school. How will I go get them?"
"I was told by the Headmaster for you to meet him in his office after you have a bit of breakfast."
Harry nodded once more and an elf popped in bringing a small tray of food. Harry took small servings of each and then began to eat.
"You need to eat more than that if you want to gain weight." She eyed critically.
"I know, but I just can't eat more than this."
Madame Pomfrey huffed annoyed but didn't comment. She understood what Harry meant. Yet, she didn't have to like reality.
He finished his small breakfast and put on the now clean clothes that he had worn yesterday. Once he finished changing, he was lead to the Headmaster's office by Madame Pomfrey.
"It's good to see you my boy!" Albus replied cheerfully as Harry walked through the door.
Harry nodded respectfully.
"We need to get you you're books for the school year and some more school robes. I assume that you're a fourth year?"
"Sixth year sir."
Dumbledore gave a puzzled look before nodding. "I will take you to retrieve your supplies in Diagon Alley. Have you ever been?"
"Yes sir."
"Wonderful! Let's go for I have some last minute preparations for tonight's welcome back feast. You may go first my boy! Leaky Cauldron is your destination."
Harry nodded again, took a hand full of floo powder, and threw it into the fire. "Leaky Cauldron London, England!"
Harry tripped through the floo, landing on his arse. He picked and dusted himself off and then stepped out of the way so the Headmaster could step through.
"It's goo' to see you Albus!" Tom said while wiping down the bar that he stood behind.
Albus smiled his eyes twinkling madly and then led Harry over to the wall. The Headmaster tapped the bricks in order, and the entrance appeared.
"Let's get you your robes first and then books. I almost forgot," Albus pulled out a worn and familiar wand from his pocket. "I believe this belongs to you."
He handed the holy and Phoenix feather wand over to the object's true owner. "Thank you sir. I thought I had lost it."
For the next three hours, they lingered in Diagon Alley purchasing all the items that Harry would need for the year. Most of Harry's purchases were second hand seeing as these came from the school funds, but Harry didn't mind. He was used to second hand clothing.
"Sir, I need to go speak with the goblins at Gringotts." Dumbledore nodded before making the trek to the Wizarding bank.
Harry headed over to one of the tellers and spoke quietly in Gobbledegook.
"Right away Mr. Evans."
The teller brought back an entire roll of parchment. With him were the odd collection of stares and mutterings among the tellers who knew what parchment was summoned for by the feel of the spell. The goblin went right back into Gobbledegook explaining what to fill in. Harry went right at it, filling in each of the blanks. Filling out the entire roll took about thirty minutes to complete.
At last, Harry signed his name. This sealed the truth of his birth name and established his new identity as a new birthright for any heirs he might claim in the future.
"Thank you StrongEdge.".
"No, no, thank you Lord Evans. Just bring in your new family crest and we will have a ring created for the House of Evans. Is there anything else that Gringotts can do for you this afternoon?"
Harry nodded, "Is there any way I can go ahead and take my NEWTs in December?"
StrongEdge paused to think for a second before nodding. "For any home-schooled students there usually is testing available in December. Let me check with my adviser."
StrongEdge walked three teller seats down and started speaking on Gobbledegook. StrongEdge strolled back. "There is indeed testing this winter. Because of your status both as a new Lord and as" his voice became very quiet, "an heir, the fees are waved. Testing begins the day after Hogwarts gets out for winter rest and continues all the way through Yule. How many subjects are you wanting to test in?"
"Seven. Potions, Herbology, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Defense, Charms, and Transfiguration please."
"You do realize this would likely make for a test a day." StrongEdge noted.
After Harry nodded in answer, the goblin passed another sheet over for Harry to sign. Once the new Lord had that done, Harry handed the sheet back and bowed.
"Thank you StrongEdge, may your gold always flow," Harry stated in English and bowed in thanks.
"And may you live prosperously," The Goblin replied reciprocating in turn.
As Dumbledore and Harry headed towards the Leaky Cauldron, Dumbledore asked, "what was that conversation all about? The business seemed to take much discussion and agreements that would be better handled by a guardian."
"My last guardian was killed," the absolute truth as Harry learned that the Dumbledore he knew had set himself as the boy's magical guardian against the will of Harry's parents. "As to my business at Gringotts, I just created the House of Evans."
Dumbledore said nothing further, as he kept that term floating around in the back of his head.
They arrived back a Hogwarts just after four. Harry's "new" belongings went to the Infirmary until he was officially sorted later that evening. He decided that he would get as much of the homework that was assigned done seeing as Harry had nothing else to do.
Madame Pomfrey came quarter after six to collect Harry for the feast. In that time, he had finished reading his Transfiguration book, while earlier in the day he had managed to skim through Charms, Potions and Herbology . Harry placed all of his books into his trunk and sealed it with multiple locking and alarming charms. Nodding in approval, he followed the Mediwitch to the feast.
Once they reached the Great Hall, Poppy told him to stand next to the door and wait for the other first years.
"Albus told me that you will be sorted first," she said while opening the doors. Madame Pomfrey gave him a good luck grin before entering.
Harry knew that students would asked many questions on his features, so he went over to one of the sets of knight armors and cast a hair lengthening charm. The last thing the teen needed was for anyone to connect Harry to one James Harry Potter, Esq.
"That should do it." His black hair lengthen down to just below his shoulders.
Harry noticed that it was a lot less unruly at this length.
About fifteen minutes later, all of the second years and above came strolling in. Many gave him looks of curiosity.
Then, James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew came in with grins on their faces. Harry knew that they would be trouble for him if he was sorted where he thought he would be.
Remus was the only one really to notice him in 's grin faltered a bit as his pace paused for a beat. Harry nodded in his direction, the werewolf nodding back. Inside, Harry prayed that it was only the fact that so old in age for a new student or even because his precautions were not enough to eliminate the resemblance to his father. Yet, the teen didn't believe either possibility inside.
After them, a large group of Slytherins arrived, each of them sporting a blank mask. A few sized him up, but concluded that he wasn't a threat.
About five minutes later, the last stragglers entered.
The first years came entered, by the looks of it, two of them were soaking wet. Harry grinned before heading over to the pair. The two boys were shivering from the cold water and seemed miserable. Clearly were pushed or fell out of a boat.
"Here let me help." Harry cast both a warming and drying spell on the two boys. The two boys were a little unsure on how to thank him, but he shook his head silently waving off their thanks.
McGonagall came through the Great Hall doors closing them behind her.
"Good evening. I am Professor McGonagall and I teach Transfiguration here at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room." Here she paused to collect her thoughts.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."
"Two lines please and follow me. Mr. Evans if you would take the lead." She opened the Great Hall doors with Harry right behind her. Once Harry and the other first years were before the Head table, the sorting hat began his song.
A thousand years ago it's been
Where our founding four sought to begin
A school for learning and protection
Keeping young crafters from detection
Each founder valued certain traits
To guide liked-souls for what awaits
Separating each into one of the four
Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor
Gryffindor claimed those of heart
While Ravenclaw snagged the smart
Slytherin took those of little trust
While Hufflepuff seized those just
House and house went hand in hand
In harmony Hogwarts began to stand
But two good friends began to row
The separation began to grow
But once cunning Slytherin left the hall
Hogwart's unity started its fall
Strife and grief split the four
Creating what we have further more
I was created to place each of you
Within the criteria of said few
To sort each of you into a dorm
To ripen the prejudices to strengthen the storm
I shall warn each of you of the expense
of not branching out and creating a defense
War is upon us where dark is light and light is dark
Hoping each of you can find the right path to embark
Before I commence I must tell
Where each of you will most likely excel
Which one should I put you in?
Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin?
Once he was done, McGonagall called Harry up to the stool. "Evans, Harry."
Harry sat down and only let one shield down in the hopes of blocking the truth from the Sorting Hat as Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head.
"Hello Harry Evans or should I more accurately say will be Harry Potter." The hat said in Harry's mind.
"Hello Sorting Hat. How is everything?" Harry thought, wanting to keep this conversation as much between them as he could manage.
"Fine as could be." The hat sighed. "Do not fear about eavesdroppers, Salazar considered such as well as influencing my decision by external forces. This conversation is between us and the Headmaster I know you do not trust, rightly so, cannot force me to sway to his will."
"Let see here," the ancient artifact paused for a second before continuing in Harry's mind, "It would be better if you let your shields down a bit more. Yes I can still read your mind, but it wouldn't leave you with a headache afterwards."
Harry closed his eyes and slowly let down the outer most protections. "Thank you. From what your mind tells me, in the future I had wanted to put you in the house of Slytherin. Hum… Yes, that is definitely the place that you should be. When you were eleven you could have passed as a Gryffindor, but now… You are can only be a SLYTHERIN!"
The entire Hall was silent as Harry placed the hat back onto the stool. He nodded respectfully to McGonagall before heading over to the Slytherin table. No one motioned to talk to him, so Harry sat at the end of the table waiting for the sorting to finish.
As soon as Dumbledore finished his before meal speech, Harry sat in silence eating very little for his stomach still couldn't take much food. Besides, Harry was taking in what should be impossible. Across a table sat the people who created him, his godfathers both official and not, along with the one who destroyed them all.
On the other side of the Great Hall, the four Marauders were commenting on the new sixth year Slytherin.
"Remus, what's the matter?" James asked his beloved friend.
"Nothing James, that new Slytherin just smells off and it is stirring Moony." Remus scrunched up his nose, not sure how to describe the new boy and his new scent much less what it made his wolf feel.
"Does he have dark qualities?" Peter asked after he took a sip of his pumpkin juice.
After thinking about the question a beat, Remus decided that was not the problem and shook his head. "Nothing extremely dark, Padfoot. He just smells really familiar like I know him from somewhere and I haven't a clue who he is."
"In what way?" Sirius asked talking with his mouth nearly full.
Such Remus was accustomed to, though on occasion he did nag Paddy about manners. Tonight was not such a time. "Not completely dark. More a shade of grey. You yourself Siri are also gray. He's really powerful as well."
James nodded not sure how to respond. He too felt something was different about that kid. Why was this Evans arriving so late to Hogwarts? Was he maybe related to Lily and she said nothing about the guy? No, Lily was an open person most of the time. So, why did that kid feel achingly familiar?
"I have an idea!" Sirius exclaimed. "Why don't we welcome the new snake the Marauder way!"
James began to grin while the four excitedly huddled together to come up with a way to greet the new comer. Calming normal shook off the frighteningly real odd sense of wanting to grab that kid and drag him up for a resorting into Gryffindor, like or not.
Back to the Slytherin side, Harry was lost in thought but his eyes held their gaze at the Gryffindor side.
Oh Sirius, how I have missed you so. I swear to make sure that you live a full and warm life. The current corrupt ministry let you down. Harry's eyes hardened. And I now have the ability to change it. The ministry must go. But what to change it to? How do we protect against corruption once again?
Severus Snape came up to him and noticed the hard eyes. The Slytherin assumed that the Marauders had already left a gift for the new student. Snape tapped Harry on the shoulder bringing him out of his reverie.
"I recommend staying away from them." He said pointedly nodding towards the Marauders. "They don't care for Slytherins."
Harry snorted. "That's the understatement of the century."
"Severus Snape, half-blood, sixth year."
"Harry Evans, first generation pureblood, sixth year." Severus Snape raised his eyebrow in question. They still shook each other's hand.
Everyone at the Slytherin table secretly glanced at the two's exchange. Calling himself a 'first generation pureblood' replaced the first impression created in the minds of their House's well-known purebloods from Harry's lack of proper surname with a small amount of respect for the up and coming new prospective family. Those of older families knew talk of such actions only from discussions of how to clean the old lines while not destroying what made Wizarding Society what it was in essence.
Dumbledore interrupted the two snakes, "now that you all are fed and watered, I have some announcements I would like to make. Please give a warm round of applause for our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Alan Headway!" The entire room casually applauded for the man.
"Mr. Filch wanted me to remind everyone that there are 2,657 items that are band from using. He also wanted me to remind everyone that there isn't any spell casting in the hallways." Dumbledore visually swept the crowd.
"For our first years, The Forbidden Forest is just that, Forbidden. Some of the upper years should take careful note of that." Dumbledore glanced at the sheepish Marauders.
"In light of the threat posed by Lord Voldemort and his followers." many people gasped at the use of the feared name in a public setting. Some from all the houses also noted Harry's lack of reaction as well, which was stealing a bit of the Headmaster's limelight.
Then Dumbledore continued, "the faculty has reached an agreement that Hogsmeade visits are to be postponed until further notice."
Dumbledore's announcement caused the entire student body to moan at the unfairness. Nevertheless, he took no notice to their complaints. Rather he was watching Harry Evans' lack of reactions with growing interest.
"One last thing before I send you off to bed. Let's sing the school song! Everyone pick a tone, and off we go!" Dumbledore waved his wand and the lyrics to school song appeared on a large scroll in front of the entire school.
The Gryffindor table was the loudest supporters, all singing to different tunes, tones, keys and even rhythms. About half the Hufflepuffs were singing, only about a third in Ravenclaw, and no one dared sing in Slytherin. Many of the Slytherins rolled their eyes in disgust, and boredom.
"Ah music! Off you trot!" Dumbledore replied once the school song was over. Dumbledore released everyone off to the dormitories. Prefects gathered all of the first years and led them to their respected dormitories while the rest of the years were on their own.
