A/N: Wow, I really wasn't expecting such a great reaction to this story! Thank you all so much! Please review if you enjoy this story. :)

"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 Its 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.