This is another idea. It is absolutely unedited - you have been warned.


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Hary Potter Fanfic

Arcturus Black was a much respected and even slightly feared man. Well, not so slightly feared, but still. Arcturus Edward Black was a lord, but not any lord, he was head of the noble house Black – notorious neutral family, thought dark. He was known as one of the most powerful and influential wizards in Eurpoe. Even ICW had to listen to him, even the great Albus Dumbledore had to listen to him, though Arcturus preferred the term "put up" – it described their relationship much better.

Right now Arcturus, who was in his one hundred twenties, sat in his study, looking through the papers. Yesterday, he had received news from Dumbledore, that one of his great-grandsons, Leonard, somehow survived the killing curse and vanquished Voldemort.

Oh, how Arcturus hated that man. Voldemort cost the Black family two, if not three members! Not that the old lord was deluded enough to blame only that maniac, no, Arcturus knew, that it was fault of his children as well. He still couldn't remember Walburga without resentment. The woman was obsessed with blood purity and wanted to officially support the Dark Lord – a feat, unheard of for neutral family. And his good-for-nothing son Orion. Arcturus sighed, he often wondered what he did wrong while bringing up his elder son. Orion had no backbone alone and allowed his wife lord over him and their children, not that situation with Narcissa, Bellatrix and Andromeda was any better.

Narcissa married Lucius Malfoy. Arcturus scoffed, Malfoys were a young family, compared to Black. The only thing worth of something this bunch of treacherous blonde slimeballs had was money. She had a son – Draco, and even had the nerve to hint to Arcturus to name Draco his heir. As if he would give anything to a Malfoy!

Bellatrix and Regulus turned out to be one huge disappointment and a taint on Black name. To follow a Dark Lord, what were these children thinking. Yes, Arcturus was not exactly fair in how he treated his grandchildren, but they had children for goodness sake. Bu then again, Arcturus was the first one to confess that he was a horrible parent – that was the only explanation why his children and grandchildren turned out the way they did.

He didn't even want to mention Andromeda. That insolent girl decided, that she could spit at the Black name and run away with come muggle. She was disowned instantly after this.

Arcturus tried not to think of his grandson Sirius. He did everything to ease the boy's life. None would believe it, but Arcturus Black was actually a doting grandfather for the Black heir. Why did the boy feel the need to run away to Dorea and Charus he never Arcturus never knew. What could make Sirius choose friends over family, especially when he knew, that he was always welcome at the Black manor.

Dorea. She was the only child, that Arcturus was actually not disappointed in. She was smart, powerful, beautiful and dignified – epitome of Black. The old lord was very reluctant to agree to her marrying Charlus Potter, but the boy was a very powerful wizard, and Potters were a respected noble family. They had one child – James, who married a muggleborn and had two children – Hadrian (or Harry) and Leonard (or Leo), Harry being one year older than Leo.

Arcturus was looking at the papers on his table and could not understand one very simple fact. Leonard vanquished the Dark Lord. If one was to believe, if only for a minute, that it was possible, then what happened to Harry? The old lord received a confirmation, that Leo was okay, but nothing of Harry – the elder son of James Potter, his heir.

Another paper caught the old lord's attention. It was an official Wizengamot confirmation. Curious as to why he would receive on now, Arcturus picked it up and carefully read it. His brows reached hairline instantly, and the old lord carefully put the paper down.

"That idiot boy James actually switched heirs!" he whispered incredulously. The note said, that Leonard Potter was now heir to the noble house Potter. "What is this brat thinking! You can't just switch heirs!"

It was common knowledge, that an heir could not be deprived of his position unless he broke family laws or committed crime against the ancient laws. Changing heirs for any less reason was begging for bad publicity and rotten reputation of an opportunist and a man who doesn't respect laws. No two-year-old boy could break any laws. Arcturus could not believe, that somebody would recognize this as anything other than an insult to tradition. He sighed. Who was he kidding? No one would bother with legitimacy when the Boy-who-lived was concerned. Oh, yes, Arcturus read the morning issue of Daily Prophet and saw the nickname. If only Dorea or Charlus were alive, but alas, they died just two and three months prior respectfully. Arcturus decided to pay the Potters a visit tomorrow, he was, after all, let in the secret of their Fidelius wards. Someone had to put their brains in their proper place. Not to mention that Arcturus would have a chance to see his great-grandchildren. Dorea always said, that Harry was good at magic, for a two-year-old, meaning he already demonstrated accidental magic.

xxx

It was a busy day in Potter cottage in Godric's Hollow. James was minding his lordship business, meaning he was looking through his Gringotts statements and issuing orders to house elves to prepare Potter manor for the family. Lily, on the other hand, was busy tending to Leo. The boys just wouldn't eat his breakfast. A knock on the door distracted her from her child.

Lily walked to the door and cautiously opened it. She was beyond surprised to see a tall old man with gray hair and sharp features. Hi stern look made her freeze in place, before she regained her composure and gripped her wand tighter.

"There is no need for wands, Mrs. Potter," the man said calmly. "My name is Arcturus Black, I am James's grandfather, Dorea's father."

"Oh, sorry for not recognizing you sooner, Mr. Black," Lily smiled at the man, while his face remained impassive. She had to admit, that Acrturus Black was an intimidating figure in all black except for the dress-shirt. "Come in. I will call James."

In only a couple of minutes James Potter walked down the stairs and his eyes widened comically as his gaze landed on the guest. Lily didn't inform her husband of the guest's identity.

"Stop gaping, James," Arcturus said, not even batting an eyelash. "We have to talk."

James nodded and sat on the chair across from the old lord. "So, grandfather Arcturus. What do we owe the pleasure?"

"Oh, it is certainly not pleasure you owe me," Arcturus said with irritation and handed James the Wizengamot confirmation. The man's face just grew confused.

"Yes," James nodded with a slight smile, "I did name Leo my heir. What's wrong?"

"Let me be blunt with you, James," Arcturus sighed. "Had your father Charlus or god forbid his father Harold," James actually flinched, "been alive, they would be reprimanding you like a little boy right now. James, one cannot just switch heirs. Hadrian was born first, by law he is your heir."

"About that…." James sad awkwardly. "Harry can't be my heir."

"Why exactly?" Arcturus asked, narrowing his eyes.

"You see, grandfather Arcturus…" James trailed off, but under the older man's very stern gaze continued. "We won't be able to bring Harry up as an heir must be brought up."

"James," Arcturus said quietly in his big-bad-lord-Black voice.

"We gave him to somebody else to raise," James said very fast. Unfortunately for him Arcturus could still understand every word.

"What?!" lord Black exclaimed. "You actually gave up your heir! Why on Earth would you do such a thing?"

"You see, grandfather," James sighed. "Leo is famous and Harry would grow up in his shadow. I don't want him growing up like this, a normal childhood would be much better for him. Besides-"

"Stop," Arcturus said coldly. "That speech reminds me too much of a certain old bearded fool."

"Grandfather!" James exclaimed. "Professor Dumbledore is a good man."

"Good my…" Arcturus muttered under his breath. "Where is Hadrian right now?"

"Why do you want to know?" James asked suspiciously.

"I have heard enough to recognize Dumbledore's meddling," Arcturus replied. "I will take Hadrian in and raise him as my heir.

"What?!" James shouted for the first time, standing up. The glare sent his way did make him sit down though. "But you can't, grandfather!"

"Any why, pray tell, not?" Arcturus bit out every word. His cool gaze was actually pressing down on the younger man.

"He's a squib," James replied hotly.

"A squib?" Arcturus asked contemplatively. "Dorea used to praise his accidental magic." the old lord didn't elaborate, instead keeping James under the weight of his gaze.

"It happened after Voldemort's attack," the younger man confessed. "Dumbledore diagnosed it and healers at St. Mungo's confirmed it." James relaxed into the chair with a tired sigh.

"You will have to excuse me, but I refuse to believe it until I see it for myself," Arcturus said after half a minute of silence. "Where is he now?"

"Lily's muggle sister," James replied. It was amusing to Arcturus how auror James Potter, one of the figureheads of "the light", talked about his squib son. The sheer amount of shame and regret in his voice could rival his own father's when he expelled one of the squib Blacks all those decades ago.

"And where does your wife's sister reside?" Arcturus pressed.

"Little Whinging, Surrey, Number 4," James surrendered.

"Then that is where I will be off to now," the old lord rose from his chair. "Thank you for your hospitality, James. But if I find that you simply discarded your heir... I will take him in as a Black," with these final words Arcturus left Godric's Hollow for suburban London.

xxx

In Surrey, in one of the most ordinarily boring neighborhoods, a crack was heard. Although nothing followed. No man appeared, no guns or cars. Within seconds therefore people were back to minding their own business... as much as bored people could mind their own business that is.

In the meantime Arcturus walked right inside Number 4. Magic was a very useful thing really: no one could see him, no one could hear him and no one could smell him. In his disguised state he walked around the house and finally found a nursery on the second floor of that distasteful dwelling. Two cribs were inside. In the larger, more elaborately decorated one slept a small baby, no older than a year. No, it was not young Hadrian – its hair was blond. In another crib slept the boy he was searching for. That mop of black hair that looked more like a bird nest really, screamed "Potter".

Arcturus waved a wand over the child. The result was negative. Indeed, Harry was a squib. What a sorry fate. But then he noticed subtle difference. When there was no magic in the examined body, the caster felt hollowness. Arcturus felt it too. There was one intricate and very subtle detail though.

Magic was a curious thing. There were numerous theories that tried to describe its behavior. One of the greatest dilemmas of about two centuries ago was the problem of people being able to feel magic of beings that were not significantly more powerful than themselves, yet unable to feel magic of those the most powerful wizards. So many guesses have been made throughout history. Some thought that the weak just didn't have mental faculties to comprehend such power. Other believed that it was just the inane control over their magic that great wizards had that prevented their magic from being spilled all over the place. Some fools actually tried to use it as a foundation for their ridiculous "magical core" theory. Ludicrous.

Eleanor Potter, a witch of remarkable power and knowledge, solved the riddle. Her experiments proved that magic was not pent up in any "cores" and that all wizards could comprehend any amounts of magic. That woman proved that magic of the most powerful wizards just existed differently. Magic of usual witches and wizards was stored inside their bodies, running in their blood, if one liked archaic phrases. Magic of the most powerful magicals though, was stored in a separate sub-dimension. Otherwise it would tear the owner's body to shreds and obliterate everything in his or her vicinity.

That in itself didn't explain Harry's state though. Usually more children, who were unable to handle all their magic at the time also did store their magic away in another sub-dimension, but there was always a stream of power rushing from it through the child and did actually feel like a river or a stream, as opposed to a puddle, which was a norm for magic children. In Harry's case Arcturus felt hollowness, but also a drop of magic... followed by another drop. It was a steady rhythm: drip – drop – drip – drop...

Hadrian did have magic, but it was cut off from him. Instead of a stream he felt mere droplets. Something must have happened to the boy that night when Voldemort came for him and his brother.