- CHAPTER TWO -

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.


It was early morning when three young men carrying a little boy entered the hall of Gringotts.

"Wow. Nothing really changed in years here! Look, everything is the same", exclaimed the one with the baby in his arms.

"Yeah, even Tom and his Cauldron aren't changed.-"

"-It's scary if you think about it. We're in-"

"-1964 now, almost forty years in the past.-"

"Scary thing", the twins ended together.

Harry chuckled at their antics, thinking that the bank and the Leaky Cauldron weren't the only two things that wouldn't change with the time.

The trip through Time had landed them in the same place from where they had left in the future. The park near Grimmauld Place Number 12 hasn't remained the quite the same through the years and they found themselves a little lost trying to exit it. In the beginning the plan was to apparate to the Leaky Cauldron and pay for a room for the night, but the trip had left them a 'little' ill and in the end they decided against it 'cause the risk of splincing themselves was pretty high and even the twins weren't so stupid as to try it. Instead they called for the Knight Bus, not their best solution in terms of safety, but better than walking there in the middle of the night. Arrived at their destinations a little more ill than before and grateful to be still alive, they were quick to pick a room and fall asleep with their clothes still on. The next morning they walked in Diagon Alley, unaware of the attention their looks attracted, and headed straight to Gringotts, wanting to finish what they had to do as soon as possible.

"Let's make this quick. I'm still a little unwell from yesterday", Harry announced as they approached the first counter with a goblin free while the twins agreed wholeheartedly, grimacing at the memory of that awful trip trough time.

"Good morning. We want to talk with the Director, please", Harry greeted politely.

The goblin sneered and told them off for wasting his time with unreasonable requests since the Director was clearly too busy to meet some unknown stupid presumptuous wizard.

"Very well, then. If you think someone of the Peverell family is too low to do business with you and your bank, then I think we can go elsewhere, right?", Harry asked in a flat tone to the twins who smirked knowingly at their dark haired friend, enjoying very much the fearful expression on the goblin's face at the thought of probably having lost a client so rich.

"Wait!", the goblin almost shouted attracting the attentions of the people nearby intent in their own business. "I'm sure that if you give me the time to explain correctly the situation to the Director, he will receive you today, Mr Peverell. You don't need to go elsewhere, we'll be happy to discuss business with you", and with that he left in search of the Director without waiting a reply from them in fear of what they could say.

Nobody noticed a pair of eyes watching the scene with keen interest and a little of stupor and leaving just after. They had news to give to their Master.

After only two minutes of waiting, the goblin was back and ushered the three young wizards to the Director's office, the only room guarded by four fully-armed goblins. The office was spacious with walls covered by various types of weapons, all finely decorated with gems and elaborated precious metal. To contrast the walls, the desk and chairs were extremely simple and of little value. It was clear what goblins treasured more.

Unsurprisingly for Harry and the twins who already knew his identity, the Director sitting behind the desk was young and fully armed. His face showed no expression whatsoever and his whole demeanour screamed power.

While the three wizards studied the office and its occupants, the Director did the same with his new guests.

He instantly recognized who the leader of that little group was and assumed that the young man was Mr Peverell. The Director was pleased to note that the same man was also the most powerful wizard he had ever met, although he seemed to lack the arrogant and superior air most wizards carried. A fact that surprised the goblin in a good way because, maybe, he would gain more from their business. He noted that the man in question had dark long silky hair with streaks of blue disposed in a way that showed perfectly his left earring. They contrasted perfectly with his pale complexion, that exalted his emerald eyes. His expression talked of an hard life and wisdom beyond his years. He was slim and not very tall, although he seemed very agile and used to run and move really fast.

The other two men, instead, were clearly twins. Tall and muscled, they weren't built for running but they were undeniably strong and they knew it. They had dark hair with streaks of red and blue eyes with hints of violet, pale skin. They moved in tandem, without thought. They gave the impression to love a good laugh, even when they showed wisdom beyond their years, and the Director wondered what had happened to them to make them grow up so fast.

On the other hand, the last member was a mystery. There wasn't any doubt that the baby was a metamorphomagus if the times he changed colour of his hair and eyes was any indication. However his eyes always held a touch of amber, sign that he has been involved with werewolves.

"Good morning, Director. Thank you for receiving us today", Harry greeted the goblin, distracting him from his thoughts.

"Morning, Mr Peverell. They told me you wanted to discuss business with me".

"Yes, but we think it's in our best interests that you read this letter first. We hope it can clear many things, Director Ragnok", Harry said and offered the sealed letter to the goblin, who didn't show his shock when they said his name, fact that no wizard knew, he was sure.

"Very well", Ragnok replied and proceeded to read the most shocking letter he had ever read. First of all he was the one who wrote it, since nobody and no spell could reproduce his handwriting. Second, the story told in the letter was unbelievable, if not for the fact that he would never joke or lie about things so serious. So the story must have been real. Third, he was sure he had never wrote such a letter in the past, so it must come from another time.

"So, you're telling me this letter and you come from the future?", he asked after he had read it and motioned his guards to stay still.

"Yes"

"How did you managed to go back years?"

"An experiment gone wrong resulted in the creation of a different and more powerful time-turner"

"Are you here to change the future?"

"If possible. The persecution of werewolves was only the beginning, other magical beings would follow them in the same fate. Voldemort killed and ended most of the pureblood families that sided against him and exterminated many muggleborns and halfbloods. He was immortal and completely crazy, nobody was able to stop him, or stopped him when it was still possible. Everything was going to end for our world. We want to change that. This is why we chose to be Peverells. It was a powerful family in politic and economy, everyone respects them. I am their direct descendent", Harry explained before Ragnok could reply saying that changing the past had dire consequences for the future.

"And them? Who are they, Mr Potter?", Ragnok asked indicating the twins.

"Please, call me Mr. Peverell. There are other Potters alive now", Harry replied and the Director nodded in agreement. "The twins are, no, were Weasleys. Before coming here, I blood-adopted them in the Peverell family".

"The red hair? No glamour can remain active inside this building, and a blood-adoption doesn't change your aspect too much", the Director inquired.

"Well.. that would be my fault. I used parcelmagic. We found a book in the Black library that explained how parcelmagic can be removed only by other parcelmagic. We thought it was our best solution to our problem. We don't want to be asked why we look like Potters or Weasleys, we wouldn't know how to respond without raising suspicion", Harry answered.

"Glad to know this flaw in our security", the goblin said flatly causing Harry and the others to sigh in relief since it didn't seem like they would take action against them for deceiving them. "The baby? Who is he?", Ragnok continued.

"My godson, born from a werewolf and a metamorphomagus", Harry replied interpreting the question in the right way as the nod from the goblin indicated.

"Very well, you told exactly what I wrote in the letter. I asked you those questions to see if I can trust you as the other me did", he paused. "I can".

The twin and Harry grinned happily. Now they could start talking about business, finally. The interrogation was over and they had passed the test with top marks.

As if on clue, the tension present in the room from the start vanished suddenly and the small group discussed for the next hours on how to proceed with their plan.


"Thank Merlin they didn't kill us when they discovered we were using glamours!", Harry commented as he ate lunch, having already fed little Teddy.

"You missed the look on-"

"-the guards' faces, dear bro'.-"

"-Scary thing, that one-"

"-But the boss stopped them."

"Uh, yes, but in the end everything went well, no?", Harry asked sheepishly, knowing very well how much he had risked.

"Next time, advise us, poor fellows, beforehand,-"

"-so we can make our will in time.-"

"-Just in case, you know", the twins joked grinning.

"Prats!", Harry replied with a small smirk at their antics.

"Someone has to be!", they intoned together.

Harry merely huffed. "Yeah, yeah. If you have finished eating, why don't we explore around a bit and then head home? I'm still feeling unwell from the trip and the Bus and goblins didn't help. I need to rest", Harry said yawning.

"Then why don't you pick Teddy and go ahead home?", the first twin asked.

"We'll do the exploring around-", George continued.

"-and you take a nap with your little-"

"-adorable godson."

When they saw Harry wanted to protest, they put Teddy on his arms and ushered him towards the floo, threw the powder, called the destination and pushed him through before he could think of protesting. Then they went out in the Alley for a little exploring in the patented twins' way.

That day in Diagon Alley exploded chaos and nobody, neither the aurors nor the witnesses or the victims, ever found who did it. However what everyone agreed on was that they would remember that day and the pranks played for a long long time, while parents prayed their kids wouldn't try them in future, for their sanity, if nothing else.


Meanwhile, miles away from the increasing chaos in the Alley, Harry was putting down Teddy on his little bed.

The nursery he had chosen for his godson had a forest painted on the walls and a starry night sky on the ceiling. It wasn't overly spacious, but was well furnished and connected with a door to the master's suite. Said suite was decorated with dark blue and silver colours and had the biggest bed Harry had ever seen in his whole life. In front of the bed was a sitting area with a cozy sofa and warm fireplace. On the opposite direction, a door led to a small balcony with a suggestive view of the garden and the forest around.

As he explored a bit around, Harry found that the third floor, where the suit was located, contained also four other bedrooms for family's members, a part of the library and the master's private studio, done in dark green and gold.

On the second floor, instead, were located the guests' rooms, another smaller study and the rest of the library with its wide windows.

Wanting to know what there was on the first floor, since he didn't pay attention before when he arrived, Harry took his time to look around to his heart's content. He saw the floo room where he had almost landed on the carpet when he had exited the fireplace, a formal dining area connected to a formal parlour and a ballroom to one side of the main hall. The other side, instead, was dedicated to the family and everything was more cozy and informal. There was a smaller dining room near a war and comfortable living room. Then, as the last room on the floor, Harry found a large and well furnished kitchen in light colours with a round table for the breakfast.

Satisfied, Harry decided to see how was the potion lab on the floor below and if one of the storerooms could be changed in a secure training room. To his relief, the potion lab seemed well stored with various ingredients and protected against explosions and failed experiments by a set of goblin wards. Near it, there were two storerooms, one of which was big enough to become a perfect training room after a bit of work and warding here and there. At the end of the corridor, two doors led to a wine cellar on the left and a room were stood the stone full of runes that maintained all the defensive and offensive wards of the property. To his astonishment, Harry discovered that on it hadn't worked only wizards, but also the goblins and elves, if he remembered correctly his studies on the subject he had done in his free time while still at school, because it fascinated him.

Happy with his house and its protections, Harry went to his room to take a little nap for a few minutes without any worry for the security, while he waited for the twins to return. Little did he know that he would wake up, with a warm feeling in his chest, only to the perfume of a delicious dinner and the sound of faint laughter when outside was already dark.

He went downstairs and followed the laughter to the kitchen where he found the twins preparing the table and joking with Teddy, who must have woken up without him noticing. That was a mistake he intended to not repeat in future.

"So? How was your trip in Diagon Alley? How much it had changed?", he asked the twins, curious to know the answer.

"Some shops are different-", one twin began innocently.

"- but Madam Malkin and Ollivander are still the same", the other twin ended also innocently.

Harry grew suspicious. "What did you do?", he asked in a warning tone.

"Nothing! We swear! Only small pranks here and there. Nothing serious", they intoned together.

"For the love of Merlin, Circe and Morgana!", Harry exclaimed exasperated, wanting to be angry with the two prankster but not succeeding, as the small smile was indication. "What pranks?", he asked, defeated.

"Oh, nothing much.-"
"-pink with orange polka dots robes,-"

"-electrical blue or fluorescent yellow hair,-"

"-big red clawn-like nose,-"

"-penguin-like walking,-"

"-only the usual".

Harry could do nothing but laugh until he had problems breathing. The twins would never change.


Just when Harry was enjoying immensely the new life and thought that everything was going better than in his previous life; far far away, another man was finding out how years of plans and machinations could be disrupted by unexpected appearances.

"Are you sure you heard correctly? That Family was thought extinct hundreds of years ago", the older man asked in an angry tone to the quivering figure on the floor.

"Yes, Master. I was near when the goblin shouted. Nobody could have mistaken it", despite being terrified by the anger showed by his Master, the figure sneered as he said goblin, like it was a sin just talking of said creatures. For him they didn't even have the right to exist and the day they would cease to pollute the world he lived in would be the best day of his life.

"You bring me bad news, my boy, very bad news, but important ones nevertheless. For this, in my magnanimous clemency, I won't punish you as you clearly deserve. I've always told you I don't want to hear bad news", the old man said in a grandfatherly voice and the fearful man on the floor sighed in relief, before apologizing profusely for bringing such a detestable news. "Now go. Before I change my mind", the bearded man ordered and watched as the other almost leapt out the door trying to exit as fast as possible.

Before his follower was too far away to hear, he warned him. "Next time, don't disappoint me again. You won't like the consequences".

His duty as fearful but just Master done, the old man sat down behind his desk in his office at the top of the tower.

The appearance of a descendant of such a powerful Family worried him greatly and he couldn't shake the feeling that this new player would bring trouble for him and his plans. He had no doubt that this new man would be a key player in the events future. That fact, more than anything, angered him. He had spent years upon years to perfect those plans and the thought of someone, appeared out of nowhere, with the power to destroy everything he had worked so hard on, didn't sit well with him.

He had started planning from a young age on how to conquer the magical world, and for a period he had even let his lover carry his plans out, to see out successful they were. That hadn't gone well. His lover had made great mistakes, changing some of the plans, in his quest for power and had almost ruined everything, so, with a hint of regret for such power going to waste, he had stopped him. In the middle of the night, covered by the darkness, he had stupefied him while he was sleeping on his bed unaware and imprisoned him in one of the most feared places on Earth. The next day, in a stroke of ingenuity, he had started the rumour that he had defeated the man only after a long and difficult duel. Journalist and gossipers did the rest.

From that moment on, his fame and popularity only increased with time. His words were law. Everyone sought him out for advise. He was respected. He had power.

Naturally the new situation he found himself in called for a change of plans and change they did, with great success. Until..

Until the day he met someone, still young, with powerful magic and dangerous charisma. He almost had an heart attack on the spot. There he was, in front of someone who could easily destroy him one day. It went without saying that he immediately started plotting of a way to put him out of the game.

It had been more difficult than expected. The boy was unusually intelligent for his age and saw through his machinations, responding in kind. He protected himself by surrounding himself with powerful allies. What the man had feared the most was happening just in front of his eyes and he could do nothing to stop it, so he waited and prayed.

Years later, the boy finally did a mistake, a great mistake. The man could still win. It would require skill, patience, manipulations and more, but he could win.

That was what he had believed until minutes before, when his loyal follower brought him that news.

"Damn! I was so near this time!", he muttered angrily to himself. "Maybe I can manipulate him", he wondered. "I must play carefully my cards. In the end, I will win and they will be dead", he smirked evilly.


After having taken a deep breath to calm his racing heart, the blonde-haired man knocked lightly at the door, grimacing at the loud noise that simple touch created. That didn't bode well for his future.

"Enter!", a sweet and calm voice ordered from the other side of the door. The man shook in fear. Sweet and calm was definitely bad, very bad.

Hiding his fear, he squared his shoulders and with the head held high and secure steps he entered the room.

"To what do I owe your interruption, Abraxas?", a young man with dark hair and red eyes asked in a slightly annoyed tone.

"I apologise for the interruption, my Lord, but I heard disconcerting news when I went to Diagon Alley today and thought you must be informed of the recent events", the blonde replied while bowing.

"Very well. Let's listen to this news, then. But first", the Lord drawled as he took out his wand. "Crucio!", he shouted in rage and smirked when the man on the floor started screaming in pain. "Disobedience must be punished, you know".

After five long minutes of excruciating torture, the Lord ended the curse, to the extreme relief of the blonde who was still convulsing on the floor.

"Tell me the news. Be quick and pray it's really important or I will end your life. I don't have time to waste!"

"Y-yes, m-my L-lord", the blonde stuttered for the effects of the curse he had been put under. "When I went to Diagon Alley today, I heard two people talking of something that had happened in Gringotts in the morning. What they told had left me shocked. It seems that a descendant of the Noble and Ancient House of Peverell had made his appearance in the bank today and requested to speak privately with the Director", the blonde explained.

"Peverell, you said? How interesting", the Lord murmured. "What do you know of this Family?", he inquired.

"If my memory doesn't deceive me, my Lord. The Peverells were one of the most powerful and feared Families. They were believed extinct when Aidan Peverell died of mere dragon pox in 1798 without heirs. Until then they had been actively involved in politics and some wise investments allowed them to increase their fortune tenfold. They had always been respected by light, neutral and dark families".

"So this man can be a great asset to our cause", the Lord replied. "Gather informations on this new Peverell and see if he is on our side or if he can be swayed. I want him among my ranks. Failure is not allowed, remember. Now go", he ordered and the other man exited the room after bowing.

Door securely closed, the blond leaned against the wall for support. For a moment, he had really believed he would not exit alive from the room.

When he had decided to follow his Lord and be marked by Him, he had firmly believed that it was the right thing to do. Now, he wasn't so sure any more. The Lord was becoming crazier as time passed and he didn't know how to stop it or why it was happening in the first place. The lord has always been extremely secretive on his life and whatever he did or happened to him was linked to His life. He was sure of it since it all started when His eyes changed colour and became crimson.

"It's time for a little research. Maybe Theodore can help", he muttered to himself as he left the corridor to write an important letter to his friend. After all it was also in his best interest to find a solution to that problem. A crazy Lord meant pain and death and failure. It wasn't admissible.


A.N.

Hi!

I want to thank you all for your wonderful reviews. It helps me greatly to know your opinion on the story and what you think is not good.

If you have questions, just ask. I'll try my best to reply.

I hope you liked the chapter.

Until next time, bye