AN: So for those who have read "Honour Thy Blood" (Jtjt2d), this may seem like I am basing this off of that, which is true, it is my favourite fanfic but I am not just going to copy that story, I am just going to borrow a few concepts from that story, mainly magical maturity and family magic. Haphne is my favourite ship but it won't play a big part in this story and will likely come in relatively late. there are several things I am trying to avoid no matter how tempting they can be to delve into at times, like making Harry have some insane stuff at his disposal that basically make him a God and also basically making Dumbledore an utter twat is something I am trying to avoid. The chapter's length will vary because of what i'm planning on putting in the chapters and how I'm feeling at the time and please forgive me if sometimes it looks like I need to proofread better, I'll read through each chapter after I have written it in hopes to improve my writing and I have already corrected a bunch of stuff from the first chapter and I think it's is perfect (grammar wise) now (umwHPFan2010). And I have also been more careful with this one. Thank you for the reviews :)

Chapter 2: History Lessons

"You should probably start at the beginning this time" Harry said "I mean I people looking for me now and I go back to Hogwarts soon and... oh shit my trial, if I don't turn up to my trial they'll snap my wand no doubt" suddenly looking like his entire world is crashing around him.

"Nonsense" Dorea said "none of this matters because once Voldemort comes out into the open the minister will be so far up your arse that you get anything you want from him. Plus mark my words you, grandson, will be the one to end this war."

"And," Charlus said "you'll be getting a Potter wand if anyone else even tries to touch it the wand will burn their hand off. Much more powerful too"

"How can I end this war, I'm just a kid?"

"Yes but that, son, is why you're here. You need to become a man. Potter boys have been becoming men in this castle for over 900 years. You'd be hard pressed to find a better place to learn. Here you will learn how to control your magic and likely go beyond Hogwarts level in around a month and a half and then you can go around the castle learn whatever you like. You, of course, will be learning how to fight and essentially stay alive in the coming war"

Harry just nodded and tried to take in what an amazing opportunity he has in front of him, finally he was going to take control of his life.

"So my father went through this too?"

"Yes although we weren't able to talk about it at the time and I didn't know it was going to happen until after we got married. It's just the way the fidilus works"

"I thought the fidilus charm just hid a location"

"It does," Charlus said, proud that his grandson knew what a fidilus charm did "but this is a special charm invented by Signus Potter, the man who created the charm and only published the part you know about to the public. In fact, this very castle is protected by that charm, it's likely the largest fidilus affected area in the world. But we also use an extension of the charm which hides the knowledge in the Potter bloodline and their wives, women go through the same thing but their husband and children will never find out. Each of new arrivals has been greeted by their grand-parents where the castle was explained to them because their parents have only told them they would be going away for six months for six months to a potter owned castle for a different education and that they can't tell anyone. He is also the man who purchased this castle, set up all the wards and furnished it, excellent library."

"And why did he start all of this" After so long of only hearing what his parents looked like and that they were "good people", it was refreshing to hear more about his family.

"For several reasons, one is that his son died in a wizarding war because he could not fight properly because he was never taught how to. Another is that he noticed because of vast wealth and lack of a need to work, many children from the rich families were becoming soft, always running to their father and asking him to fix everything for them. Your ancestor would hate to see future potter children become this, "staying a boy" he called it. He fixed up this place and performed a blood ritual with his two brothers, the last remaining Potters and the time, so that all children of Potter blood and name would be brought here on their fifteenth birthday. He incorporated the fidilus into the ritual to protect the secret. since then the cycle has stayed strong. Every now and then it is used for something much more important. For example, 500 years ago Lady Myrum Potter gained the status of Battle Mage and defeated 2 dark lords using this knowledge. I myself used it to protect the lands and I eventually was given the title of Baro, along with my brother through marriage and friendship Baron Artecus Black."

"A Baron?"

"You become a Baron by proving yourself worthy to protect the lands from threats, I gained mine after I killed several giants that were about to attack Godric's Hollow, they gave it to me for that and several other acts" Charlus said puffing his chest out, Harry thought that this was clearly a brave man in front of him and wicked with a wand, but he was also quite childish. He was quickly starting to idolize the man, which is something that has never happened before. Not even with Dumbledore.

"Was my dad any good at duelling?"

"He was above average, as he was at everything he did really, but i believe he spent most of his time here learning about our family history. Apparently, when it is history, in general, it is extremely boring but when it is about our family history it suddenly becomes "wicked interesting". I think he spent the rest of his time owling his friends. He told us it was about lessons and other general things but Remus let slip one day that the two main topics were pranks and your mother, sometimes they crossed paths in the form of scaring away potential suitors, which apparently infuriated your mother to no end"

During the few moments he took to reminisce Harry noticed Dorea had just been smiling at him, as if him just being was the best thing she could ask for, it made him feel nice a way he had never felt before. Something that he put down to feeling as if he actually had a family.

It was his grandfather's voice that broke him from his thoughts.

"But we're getting off topic, I need to tell you the different facilities we have here. We have the best training facility that we know about with lifelike training dummies. An extremely extensive library, as big as, if not bigger, than the one at Hogwarts. You also have access to both the Black and Potter family magics which the books for can be summoned through these family spells."

After Harry had both books and looked eager to learn, for once, the conversation continued.

"Did you say that you're a parselmouth?" At Harry's nod, Dorea continued "It's that since it's a Black family gift there is some parselmagic in the Black family grimoire as well as some books in the family vault. You'll also notice too that there are some healing spells that I could never use because I lacked the ability, and was therefore quite jealous. Instead, I just created a few of my own that did the same thing" she finished with a smirk.

"You'll also notice the difference between the two family books," Charlus said " The Potter one does have some offensive borderline dark curses created by your ancestors. But it also has many spells on things like wards and enchantments. The speels to create our training dummies are in there."

"But the Black family magic" Dorea continued "mainly focuses on dark and very painful and lethal curses. But that isn't the only stuff in there like I said I made some of my own healing spells, during my 20-year career at St. Mungos, that you will find in that book. There are some Black family wards too, granted they are mostly lethal but they still serve to protect instead of attack."

Harry was about to ask more about her healing career when he remembered something she said earlier. "Professor Dumbledore said that the magic left from the night Voldemort tried to kill me transferred the ability to speak to snaked to me" there was no malice in what he said, nor was he defending anyone. He was just confused.

"I'm not surprised he got that wrong, this isn't widely known and is possibly only known within the Black family, but the way Salazar became the first parselmouth was through a blood ritual. This ritual gave him, and anyone born from his blood, the ability to speak to snakes. What most won't admit is that the ability is scarce now because of the sheer amount of inbreeding that goes on between the blacks. It doesn't surprise me you have the ability considering your father married a muggle-born, therefore... your blood, through lack of a better term, is cleaner than any Black's has been in centuries."

Before that conversation could go any further, a snowy white owl swoops through an open window. "Smart owl, must have been to get through the wards. And it must have a deep connection with you Harry to even be able to tell where you are."

"Beautiful too" Dorea complimented. Hedwig of course just puffed her chest out importantly and ignored her friend's mutterings of heads already being too big. Both of which made Dorea laugh. "Careful though, it could have something dangerous on it"

"Impossible," Harry said "Hedwig would never allow herself to bring a letter that would put me in danger. It's likely just as much to do with her pride as an owl is it is to do with her feelings for me." earning him a glare from his familiar. "No, it's likely just from my friends making sure I'm ok." He said untied the letter. Reading through the letter confirmed his prediction.

"Should I just reply saying I'm on "family business"?"

"Yes, that is what we have always done," Charlus confirmed.

Harry took a few moments to think and began writing his response.

Dear Order and company,

I am sorry because I do not doubt I have worried you but it appears I have been taken. Do not worry as I am perfectly fine and do not need assistance. I will be away for quite a while and, sorry Hermione and Weasleys, but I will not be returning to Hogwarts this year, at least not until around February. I have no doubt that Hermione is nearly tearing her hair out with frustration from un-answered and big D is likely quite cross that he can't find me. Hedwig is the only owl that can reach me, yes Headmaster, that does include your pretty red one, so communication will be scarce. I'll write when I'm not busy and you can feel free to write if Hedwig visits.

Regards, Harry

Rolling up the letter, tying it to Hedwig's leg and giving her a few strokes, the owl was on her way with his reply.

"Well, I think that that is enough for tonight. Of to bed Harry big day tomorrow. You'll be getting a new wand and your training will begin. Cindy!"

An elf pops in "yes Mistress?"

"Please take my grandson here to his room for the night and could you please retrieve his belonging from... where were you staying?"

"It's under fidilus but there are a bunch of elf heads on the walls and the house elf's name is Kreacher I believe." He said hoping it would help.

Thinking for a moment, Dorea continued "Oh God you're saying there? Please go to 12 Grimmuald Place in London for Harry's things."

With a soft *pop* Harry was in a large bedroom with a walk-in wardrobe and an adjoining bathroom. "Cindy is happy that new young master is heres. Cindy bees lonely here with just other Elf and paintings of old Masters and Mistresses for company."

"Thank you, Cindy, I'm glad to be here," he said with a soft smile

"Cindy musts be goings now you get Master Harry's things now," the little elf said, beaming and popping away.

By the time she came back, Harry was already in bed asleep.

~0~

It was 6 AM and several members of the order didn't sleep well that night, as well as Harry's friends. Several people didn't sleep at all. Hermione, one of those who didn't sleep had been glancing at the window with Ginny's head in her lap for the last 2 hours when she suddenly saw a white speck flying towards the window.

"Ginny," she said, rousing the younger girl from her sleep. "Hedwig's here!" She shouted, waking Ron, who had been sleeping on the couch opposite, making him fall on the floor, and waking Sirius who had fallen asleep at the kitchen table only 20 minutes earlier.

Mrs. Weasley immediately came down the stairs, running and floo called the Headmaster. After a few moments of conversion, Albus Dumbledore was also in the sitting room of Grimmuald Place.

Finally, Hedwig flew through the window and landed on one of the chairs in the living room and stuck her leg out. Once again Hermione was the first to get there but Sirius quickly snatched the letter out of her hand and quickly unfurled the parchment then read through it. The whole room watched him relax after 10 seconds of reading and then drop the letter on the table, slumping down into a kitchen chair in relief. The rest of the room gathered around Ginny who had picked up the letter, and read.

While Molly went to the kitchen the Headmaster was currently scanning the letter in his hands with his wand, wonder and confusion clearly etched on to his face. His honourary Grandson appeared to be ok and was clearly safe enough to joke with his friends. But it did not completely alleviate his worry. "Sirius, how many wards are on this house?"

"Around 22, why?"

"Because, excluding the wards on this house this letter must have gone through around 70 wards, meaning Harry is in a house with an impossible amount of wards." The confusion still clearly evident on his face.

"What do you mean Professor?" Hermione asked

"It should not be possible to put that many wards on a single site and weave them together, 30 is where it becomes extremely difficult for people who have years of skill and experience. I thought that Hogwarts had the most in the world, with 41 which many would say is impossible but this... this is remarkable." The aged Headmaster finished, looking off into the distance.

"Well, that just means he's safe, and by the sounds of it he is safer there than anywhere else in the world with all those wards. I just want to know what is going on and where he is. And what's this "family business"? I'm the only blood relative he has."

"You're related?" Hermione asked.

"Second cousins," he answered "his grandmother was my great aunt Dorea. Other than Andromeda, Dorea and my grandfather were the only relatives I actually liked. Even if he was a surly old git, he was wise and wicked with a wand, he even refused to exile me from the family when my mother begged him to. He came to visit me when I ran away, made me his sole heir, told me that "I am only Black other than my sister with a pair of balls any more". And I definitely never wanted to be Lord Black before he said that. Aunt Dorea was so proud." He finished with unhushed tears in his eyes.

"God I hated my mother." He continued "I was shunned the moment I got home in my first year because I was sorted into Gryffindor." To everyone's surprise, he suddenly smiled "Harry told us we were opposites. I came from a family full of Slytherins and was sorted into Gryffindor much to my pleasure and was scared of everyone's reaction. While Harry, came from a family full of Gryffindors and was meant to be in Slytherin but wasn't because he was afraid of people reactions and hated the idea of sleeping in the same room as Malfoy."

This brought everyone up short.

~0~

"Master Harry, it be time for Master Harry's jog.

Eyes fluttering open, he tried to process what the elf was saying. "A jog?"

"Yes, Master Harry" Cindy confirmed, "Master Charlus said to tell Master Harry that yous needs to run around the lake twice, and then come and see him once yous is clean."

"Alright, Cindy I'm up." He got up with a groan and walked over to his trunk that Cindy had retrieved the night before and put on a loose pair of shorts and a grey t-shirt that draped over him. Once ready he was about to walk out of the door when Cindy called for him.

"Master Harry why yous be wearing such things"

Unsure and uncomfortable, Harry replied, "Well, Cindy, it's all I have to wear"

The little Elf jus looked at him like he was stupid for a few seconds. "Cindy has put lots of clothes in Master Harry's wardrobe, they bes changing to fit Master Harry. Not like these clothes yous is wearing right now. Master Harry is a Potter, Potters be wearing the best clothes available." She finished with pride evident in her voice.

"Oh, well thanks Cindy I'll just get changed again, I guess."

Five minutes later found Harry running around a large lake. The lake and the area around it were quite beautiful, the whole property was sectioned off by a layer of trees and you can just make out a tall hedge through the trees to finish off the border. On his run he saw several house elves tending to the grounds around the manor, watering plants, picking weeds, trimming hedges and the like. Due to years of vigorous Quidditch and running from his cousin have left Harry, in his opinion, quite fit. He had a six pack just showing through and the starting of some large muscles on his arms. The issue he was having at the moment though is that he hadn't actually run in properly in a long time and since you only use your chest and arms in Quidditch it left him at a disadvantage. While Quidditch meant that he didn't have any fat in his legs, he also lacked much muscle there and his lung capacity was not the best. This didn't stop him from running as fast as he could around this lake though and around an hour later found Harry, shirt in hand, breathing heavily and sweat dripping off of his face on to the grass below.

A quite screech to his left broke his silence and thoughts, looking to the source of the sound he saw a grey almost skeletal horse running towards him about 2 foot tall. Once It reached him it started butting its' head against his leg. Up until this point, Harry hadn't moved due to fear that whatever this thing is might bite him,once he'd decided it meant him no harm, he started to stroke the creatures head and watched as it nuzzled its' into his hands.

A second much louder screech brought his attention to much larger version of his new friend. The new arrival was running towards him looking threatening, quickly deducting that this must be the mother or father, Harry quickly panicked. The smaller creature must have sensed his fear because it turned and screeched at the offending creature. They seemed to have a conversation for a few moments before the larger of the two walked over to Harry and butted its' head against his shoulder.

"We ok now?" It just nuzzled further into his hand. "Is this yours?" He said pointing at the young creature currently nuzzling into his noise it made next, he took for an affirmative.

For a while he just sat down with the smaller creature between his legs and the parent just laying next to them, watching the two play. After a good ten minutes of scratching and playing, Harry decided it was time to go in for breakfast. Bidding goodbye to his new friends, Harry started towards the castle's front doors. He was met by Cindy with a bowl of porridge and an apple.

"Cindy noticed Master Harry playing with Euphemia. Cindy is glad since her father died a few months ago she has been very sad. Her mother now leads the herd in his place."

"What were they?" Harry asked.

"Theys being Thestrals, Master Harry. Very smart creatures but many think theys is bad luck because yous only seeing them if yous seen death. But theys be smart and kind creatures"

"How many Threstrals are here Cindy? How come I didn't see any others?"

"Theres being twenty-seven Threstrals here on the castle grounds, theys were brought here by another potter, but Cindy is not knowing the story, Master Charlus might. Yous not seeing them normally because the herd lives in the small area of trees near the pond. The herd mostly being there but Euphemia likes to explore and Ana is always havings to bring her back."

~0~

Once Harry had finished his breakfast he left for the library, where his Grandparents portraits were. The castle seemed quite large and easy to get lost in, but luckily Cindy showed him the way to the library. He would have to go exploring.

Once he arrived in the library he was greeted by Charlus but not Dorea.

"Where's Dorea?" Harry asked.

"It's the tradition for the first morning to be only spent with the Grandfather, just so we have can have a talk about your life goals, what you need or want to do, how you are planning to do it and what you need to get it done."

"Well I need to learn to fight and survive"

"Well then you need to continue with the runs, what lots of people don't know or choose ignore is that the more fit you are the better your magi flows and the better it flows the easier it is to manipulate it. Also being fit is extremely useful in a fight, you can easily defeat someone when they are become slow and fatigued due to the length of the fight and you are still going strong. There is a gym on the third floor with weights and other things to help you keep fit." Taking a moment to gather his thoughts and run his hands through his hair, something Harry noticed that they have in common. "On the Firth floor inside the training room you will find a portrait of a man called Sigmund potter, he was a battle mage and trained many people in the Auror corps 500 years ago. He will have a lot to teach you from dueling tactics to how to cast more efficiently which is one of the most important lessons you'll learn here"

"So that's what I need to learn to become? A battle mage?" The very idea seemed to make him nervous.

Charlus seemed to eye him critically for a few long moments as if trying to decide whether or not to answer his question.

"No, battle mages are extremely skilled duelists, but the problem with that is they are just duelists. They are very knowledgeable and are able to cast very quickly, but they mainly learn what they need to learn and then either become accomplished in dueling tournaments or they train others. They duel to incapacitate and possibly maim but that's all.

"Sigmund will be great for you to learn from, he may try to teach you that stunning will always be best but don't let anyone here influence your views on things like this. But make sure you think on it, it's important that you have your own values and beliefs or you just become someone you aren't.

There have been many "Leaders Of The Light" who have battled Dark Lords but each one of them has had backing, you will be going into this alone for the most part so that is how you need to learn how to fight. You need to learn how to survive against all odds and treat every fight like it is the one that could end your life. You need to learn to kill and dish out justice where necessary because by the sounds of your esteemed minister, you won't receive any help from him and he keeps your enemies as friends."

The silence that followed carried on for almost ten minutes and Charlus was beginning to think that maybe he should have waited to tell his grandson all of this, that he should have eased him into this, that maybe it might have been wiser to let him figure out all of this on his own.

"Ok" Harry finally said.

"Ok?"

"I understand and agree with you, no one else is going to do anything, the ministry is a mockery and is run mostly by the very people who are going to be on the opposite side from me in this war. Dumbledore, while based on the stories I've heard is an excellent duelist and from my own experience is a great man, cannot fight this war. He is barely old enough to lead a waltz, never mind a war effort. And he has the completely wrong way of going about it. If you stun a Death Eater, one of his friends will just wake him up, and even if you put them in prison they will just be broken out again. Death Eaters murder and torture for fun, they need to be put down as justice for what they have done and for my safety and everyone else. The world is much better off without them."

Charlus studied him for a few moments with something close to pride and a little bit of surprise."Well, then we need to get started then don't we. First things first, you need your wand. Cindy!" Said Elf pops in. "Take Harry here to the wand shop. I'll meet you up there." And with that, he walked out of his portrait.

Cindy took Harry's hand and he suddenly found himself in a room looking at a wall lined with hundreds of boxes that, he assumed, contained wands. Looking around the room he saw a portrait where a man with sandy blond hair and dull blue eyes were staring at him intently. He was about to ask who he was and introduce himself when his Grandfather walked into the frame.

"Harry this is Vulcanus, he made all the wands you see before you," He said while shaking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you," The man said with a short bow.

"Hi, I'm Harry." He introduced "I don't want to be rude but how do you know one of these wands will choose me?"

Vulcanus gave a short chuckle. "They always ask that" he muttered. "My dear boy all these wands are the same and you will find that every wand in this room is the same. Ebony, 13 inches with phoenix feather and griffin claw."

"But how will I be able to use it properly? I've seen the difference between a chosen wand and a random wand first hand. they don't work the same." He wasn't annoyed just curious.

"Each of these wands are very powerful due to the ingredients used but they are different from your average wand. You see for any for these to work you need to bind yourself to the wand. Once done only you will be able to use it and your magic will flow through this wand much easier."

"How do I do it?"

"There is a knife over there on the table, pick it up. Now choose a wand from the wall."

Once he had a box he looked inside, after placing the knife beside him, and he had to admit what he saw took his breath away. Inside was a dark wand with small tendrils off wood, wrapping over and under each other woven through the most of the wand, stopping just at the tip and several inches below at the very bottom of the wand, engraved in the smooth wood was the phrase "Natus Vincere".

"Now, make a cut in you palm," He did. "Now grab your wand and push your wand through your hand"

Harry did this and after a few seconds it was almost as if the wand was giving his magic back, he could tell it was his but it felt different. After a minute of their magic swapping, Harry knew he was done. this wand felt completely different, with his old one it felt like his magic could very easily flow through it with barely a thought. But this one, it felt as if it was part of his body, and extension of his magic itself.

"Wow."

AN: Rigmund is a famous swordsman, I thought it was appropriate. Emeric is actually a Peverell, I just chose him because it is a strong name and I wanted it to actually be a Peverall. Vulcan is what the Romans called Hephaestus, who was the blacksmith to the Greek Gods. I was originally going to use that name for the wand crafter but I came up with something else for it that you will see later. Thanks for reading, please leave a review with your opinion.

Also, I know I'm slow and publishing but I am having problems accessing a computer right now :/